Mayoral tour

Chancellor on a visit to Tyrol: “Migration remains an issue”

Chancellor Karl Nehammer at a meeting with journalists.

(Bild: Birbaumer Christof)

Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) visited Tyrol. In addition to a familiar topic, the focus was on the wolf and the economy. After the global IT chaos on Friday, "we must take precautions".

Chancellor Karl Nehammer is currently on a mayoral tour through Austria ahead of the national elections in the fall. On Friday he was in North Tyrol. A lunch with journalists in Innsbruck was a must. The topics he addressed were illegal migration, the economy and the wolf.

In the Alpine region, different regulations are needed on how wolves, bears and humans can get along.

Bundeskanzler Karl Nehammer

725 smugglers arrested last year
"We have exerted a lot of pressure at EU level. A few years ago, we still had 800 illegal migrants per day, but now there are significantly fewer. Thanks to cooperation between the Austrian and Hungarian police, we have succeeded in doing this. Last year, we were able to arrest 725 smugglers. Thanks to an agreement with Morocco, we have been able to repatriate Moroccans who have committed criminal offenses. That was a major problem in Innsbruck in particular," says Nehammer.

He believes that the issue of illegal migration will be a major topic in the election campaign, "it keeps popping up".

Chancellor Karl Nehammer with his press spokeswoman on his way through the old town of Innsbruck.

(Bild: Birbaumer Christof)

Reduce non-wage labor costs, solve the wolf problem quickly
In order for the economy to grow again, "non-wage labor costs must be reduced". Nehammer also insists on promoting innovation and research more. "Austria is in third place among the most innovative countries in Europe, we have to make it to first place with research and production."

The problem with the wolf is "an issue that needs to be solved quickly. The EU's centralist approach is of no use to us here. In the Alpine region, we need other regulations on how wolves, bears and humans can get along with each other."

Taking precautions in the IT sector
Asked by the "Krone" about the IT chaos on Friday, he says: "The digital revolution is getting stronger. Digitalization has fully arrived in everyday life. We have to look at how we can protect ourselves against this and create backup systems as a precaution."

Former State Secretary and mayoral candidate Florian Tursky was not present. He is joining Nehammer's election campaign team.