"Very big doubts"

National Council: Edtstadler at the center of green criticism

(Bild: APA/TOBIAS STEINMAURER)

The mood in the coalition remains open to improvement. In the National Council on Wednesday, Green Party MP Astrid Rössler accused ÖVP Minister Karoline Edtstadler of "fact-free criticism" of the EU renaturation law. The latter once again lashed out at her Green government colleague Leonore Gewessler.

The unexpectedly sharp dispute arose during the debate on the second national report on the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Rössler found the content of the report quite good. However, she had "very serious doubts" as to whether Constitutional Minister Edtstadler was also behind the content. She was blocking and fighting implementation.

"Pretty photos are not enough"
Rössler recalled that Edtstadler had withdrawn the national climate plan from the EU. She is also fighting against biodiversity by saying no to the renaturation law. In addition, there were the criminal charges against Gewessler, although she had acted "correctly and responsibly". "We need intact nature. Pretty photos are not enough," said Rössler.

Green MP Astrid Rössler expressed "very serious doubts" about Edtstadler.

(Bild: APA/TOBIAS STEINMAURER)

Edtstadler: "It doesn't matter what the constitution says"
The Constitutional Minister was not prepared to accept this. In a constitutional state, form and content must be kept apart: "In a constitutional state, it doesn't matter what the constitution says," she said, alluding to the ÖVP's legal position, according to which Gewessler should not have approved the renaturation law single-handedly. With regard to the climate plan, Edtstadler emphasized that a national plan must also be nationally coordinated. In doing so, it was also important to consider concerns instead of putting ideology first.

Minister Edtstadler insisted on compliance with the constitution.

(Bild: APA/TOBIAS STEINMAURER)

The day's session in the National Council began with a heated discussion on climate change. Green Party parliamentary group leader Sigrid Maurer drew attention to the fact that 2023 was the hottest year in recorded history, with up to 500 heat-related deaths per year in Austria. Maurer accused FPÖ MP Dagmar Belakowitsch, who kept intervening, of cynicism.

FPÖ: "It has always been hot in summer"
Belakowitsch later described Maurer's speech as a "cabaret performance". He said that the warning about climate change came from "green ideology" and that it had always been hot in summer. If you want to "push something on the population", you argue with science, said Belakowitsch - this also happened during the coronavirus pandemic.

FPÖ MP Belakowitsch identified a green "cabaret performance".

(Bild: APA/TOBIAS STEINMAURER)

The SPÖ turned climate change into a distribution policy issue. Low-income earners as well as blue- and white-collar workers should be given special attention, said red MP Julia Herr. On construction sites, for example, there needs to be a "right to no heat".

National Council finale with around 60 laws
In the last week of sessions before the National Council summer break, around 60 laws are due to be passed by Friday. Among those on Wednesday are a new aid package for the municipalities, more money for the fire department, the end of the coronavirus financing agency Cofag, a cooling-off period for prospective constitutional judges and a digitalization package for schools.