Turquoise-green crisis

Justice Minister disappears, contempt reigns

One of a few joint appearances: Justice Minister Alma Zadic (Greens) at a press conference with Interior Minister Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) in May 2021

(Bild: APA/HERBERT PFARRHOFER)

There is deep resentment in the government following the scandal surrounding the EU renaturation law. The Council of Ministers in Presence was canceled. The Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) accuses Climate Minister Leonore Gewessler of abuse of office. Remarkably, her party colleague and Justice Minister Alma Zadic does not want to comment on this.

Just how deep the rifts are was shown by the statements made the day after the major crisis. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) accused Climate Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) of "blind actionism" and called her a "climate stickler". A Green MP countered in an interview with the "Krone" newspaper: "The Turks are running around like climate deniers and telling horror stories about the renaturation law."

"No more viticulture in the Wachau"
The ÖVP, for example, claims that the regulation will ensure that no more wine is grown in the Wachau and that agricultural land will shrink by 20 percent. They want to prevent this by filing an action for annulment against the regulation with the European Court of Justice.

One of a few joint appearances: Justice Minister Alma Zadic (Greens) at a press conference with Interior Minister Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) in May 2021

(Bild: APA/HERBERT PFARRHOFER)

The charges against Gewessler for abuse of office are also being prepared. The Climate Minister should have reached an agreement with Agriculture Minister Norbert Totschnig and disregarded the provincial decision against the ordinance.

The "Krone" also asked the Green Justice Minister Alma Zadic about possible legal consequences for her colleague. Particularly as Zadic aggressively defends any (ÖVP) attacks against the WKStA and presents herself as the guardian of justice. Now, however, she does not want to take a position on the domestic political case prima.

On request, the minister's office refers to the statements of Green Vice-Chancellor Werner Kogler.  

Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler and Vice-Chancellor Werner Kogler

(Bild: APA/FLORIAN WIESER)

According to "Krone" information, Gewessler obtained four statements from allegedly external lawyers in advance, on which she based her decision to proceed with the renaturation law. At least one of them, a Linz university professor, is close to the Greens: he was a member of the Green negotiating team under Zadic in 2019. Experts consider it questionable whether Gewessler can use these "expert opinions" to so easily dismiss the issue of "intentionality" in the accusation of abuse of office.

The Greens, on the other hand, point out that ÖVP ministers have often voted on their own in Brussels. Interior Minister Karner, for example, blocked the Schengen accession of Bulgaria and Romania against the will of the Greens - and continues to do so to this day.

Over 50 joint proposals in Parliament
Despite all this, the ÖVP emphasizes that it does not want to break up the coalition of state responsibility and even wants to pass all projects that have already been negotiated jointly in parliament. More than 50 bills were tabled in the last plenary session and are to be voted on in July and September.

These include important issues:

• the care reform,
• the municipal package with a financial injection of 1.3 billion euros for local authorities,
• the Animal Welfare Act,
• the reimbursement of defense lawyer costs,
• the digitalization package for schools and the reform of cell phone security.

Dozens of legislative proposals are no longer on the table
All of this is still to be passed, but no more will come. It looks bad, especially for matters from Gewessler's portfolio such as the ...

• Electricity Industry Act,
• the Renewable Energy Expansion Acceleration Act
• and the Climate Protection Act.
• A more rapid ban on fully slatted floors in pig farming is also unlikely to be a major concern for the ÖVP in the coming weeks.
• The abolition of capital gains tax on securities with a simultaneous retention period, on the other hand, is not a priority for the Greens.
• It has long been clear, at least unofficially, that the reform of the top management of the judiciary has failed. The same applies to the Epidemics Act, the amendment of which was still considered a matter of course during the coronavirus peak phase. The reform of educational leave, which is being pushed by the Ministry of Labor, is also unresolved and could fail due to the Greens, as could the automatic pension splitting. A new ORF law is not exactly high on the ÖVP's agenda.

Opposition appalled by the government
The opposition is appalled by the dispute within the government. The rejection by the Council of Ministers is "a self-abandonment and an absolute declaration of bankruptcy for a coalition", says SPÖ parliamentary group chairman Philip Kucher. "If everyone in Austria behaved like Chancellor Nehammer and his government team, then no trains would run in Austria, no operations would take place and in a few days there would be a power cut throughout the country."

The NEOS also recognize refusal to work. "This is an unworthy spectacle for the Republic and Austria's international reputation has been damaged as a result," said Secretary General Douglas Hoyos on krone.tv (see video above). Austria could not afford a month-long standstill until a new government was formed.

The Federal President is "following the discussion closely".

(Bild: APA/Eva Manhart)

There was also a message from the Chancellery of the Head of State at the request of the "Krone": "The Federal President is following the discussion closely and is in good contact with the Federal Government. Reassurance on both sides should now be the goal."

However, Alexander Van der Bellen also said that he would not confirm any appointments to top posts in ministries as of July 9. At least the post haggling has come to an end for the time being.