"Krone" interview

Nehammer: “Gewessler has damaged Austria!”

Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) in conversation with Rainer Nowak

(Bild: Andy Wenzel)

Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler's green "yes" to the EU renaturation law famously brought the coalition partner ÖVP to the barricades. The chancellor's office announced an action for annulment by the ECJ and a complaint for abuse of office. In an interview with the "Krone" newspaper, the Chancellor himself has now followed up. 

"Krone": Mr. Federal Chancellor, wasn't it foreseeable that Leonore Gewessler would do what she actually announced?
Karl Nehammer: No, as Federal Chancellor of a government, I assume that the ministers will abide by the constitution and the law. And in my view, it is never to be expected that ideology and populist actionism are combined and placed above the constitution, because then governing would be fundamentally impossible.

The charge of abuse of office does not stand a good chance because it involves intent. And she probably got that out of the way with her expert opinions ...
 In my view, there are three levels. The first level is the breach of law that has been committed. There is an agreement among the state governors that has been ignored. There are clear rules on how to vote as a minister in the European Union when the issue affects several ministries. Several complaints have now been announced and, in addition, an action for annulment has been brought before the European Court of Justice. In this case, a minister went to the Council with a vote that had not been agreed at national level as required by law. The vote was therefore not lawful.

Why don't you dismiss her?
My job as Federal Chancellor is to lead the government in an orderly fashion until September 29. I promised the people that, and I will keep that promise. Nevertheless, I find the minister's behavior unacceptable. Now the voters have the opportunity to vote on September 29 and judge her behavior. What I want to avoid is chaos, which we have often experienced in Austria. In the so-called game of free forces, electoral sweeteners can be decided that cost billions and subsequently burden people financially for decades - because they pay for them.

Would the Federal Chancellor need the authority to issue directives, as is the case in Germany?
I think the constitution is well set up. What no legal system can prevent is someone breaking the law. That can happen. And that is what happened in this case.

The Chancellor answered questions from the "Krone" political director.

(Bild: Andy Wenzel)

Will you exclude Gewessler as a member of the government in the future, just like FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl?
The election is on September 29. The minister has damaged Austria's reputation, but above all her credibility within politics. Moral standards have obviously been lost somewhere along the way when you break the constitution and the law.

If you cross a red line as a child and there are no sanctions, you will also cross the next red line. Why should the Greens adhere to the side letter with the ÖVP's Commissioner proposal?
My experience with Werner Kogler so far has been that he has kept to what we agreed. Werner Kogler has also signed the agreement.

Are you in consultation with countries that are also continuing to take action against the renaturation regulation?
It was a very close decision in this Council. Of course, we have allies such as Sweden, Finland and many others who, like us, already have a strong commitment to nature conservation and environmental protection, but are just as affected by this over-bureaucratization and over-regulation.