Hospital financing

State claims 22 million euros from municipalities

Municipalities in Burgenland have to finance 10 percent of hospital costs. 24 years too little was charged.

(Bild: Schulter Christian)

The state is claiming 22 million euros in hospital losses from the municipalities. For the ÖVP, this is a dishonest "slap in the face" because the mistake was not noticed for 24 years.

These days, a murmur goes through Burgenland's municipalities. As always, it's all about money. The ÖVP has drawn attention to this, sharply criticizing an additional financial claim by the state. Specifically, it is about 22.5 million euros in compulsory contributions to hospital funding that the state has not collected enough from municipalities over the past 24 years. The error was discovered during an audit by the finance department.

Only 8.7 instead of 10 percent collected
It turned out that since 2000, only 8.7 instead of 10 percent had been collected because budget assumptions had been made instead of financial statements. This difference is now being claimed by withholding revenue shares for a period of three years. For example, if a municipality is entitled to 42,000 euros in July, the current statement of accounts only shows 18,000 euros on the credit side. "The financial situation in the municipalities is already very tight. This is a slap in the face for all those who manage their finances carefully," criticizes ÖVP provincial party chairman Christian Sagartz.

In order to conceal the ailing state finances, the state governor is fleecing the municipalities like never before.

ÖVP-Landesobmann Christian Sagartz

While the state and the association of municipal representatives claim that the roll-up of the difference has been agreed with municipal associations, the president of the association of municipalities, Leo Radakovits, and the mayor of Eisenstadt, Thomas Steiner (both ÖVP), disagree. They had stated that the state should either waive it or repay it over 20 years.

No statute of limitations and special support package from the state
However, the state emphasizes that transfers between regional authorities cannot become time-barred. The head of the province, Doskozil, says that there is no reason to paint the black financial devil on the wall. On the contrary, the state is supporting local authorities with a special support package. Details are to be presented soon.

We are preventing municipalities from coming under further pressure as a result of the party-politically motivated rejection of the municipal package.

Landeshauptmann Hans Peter Doskozil

Once again, it is also emphasized that the ÖVP has prevented an additional municipal package - keyword: waste association. Astrid Eisenkopf (SPÖ), deputy head of the province, stated that the municipalities would only bear ten percent of the costs of financing hospitals in Burgenland - the lowest figure of all the provinces.