Gewessler in Carinthia

From summer retreat to hot election campaign

Environment and Infrastructure Minister Leonore Gewessler in an interview with "Krone".

(Bild: Evelyn Hronek/EVELYN HRONEK)

Federal politicians don't visit Carinthia all that often. One exception is Environment and Infrastructure Minister Leonore Gewessler, who has been spending her summer vacation in Carinthia for years. The "Krone" met her for an interview and visited the Buberlemoos in Pörtschach with her.

"Krone": In Carinthia, the joy about you is limited because a dedicated freight route in the central region was not included in the 2040 target plan. Can you understand that?
Leonore Gewessler: Carinthia has a lot to be happy about when it comes to rail expansion. We are investing more than one billion euros in the current framework plan. One of the highlights is definitely the Koralm Railway, which will usher in a new era. For the 2040 target network, experts have evaluated individual projects and looked at what is feasible and what benefits the project has. And here the experts came to the conclusion that the project is not effective enough and is too cost-intensive. But the framework conditions can change.

We always have the issue of noise on our radar.

Infrastrukturministerin Leonore Gewessler

But do you understand the dissatisfaction with the approach?
We always have the issue of noise on our radar. And I am always committed to this. That's why we've already taken measures here in Carinthia, because from next year only low-noise freight wagons will be on the move.

So something will change for the population? 
The low-noise freight wagons really are an improvement and we are making sure that they penetrate the market as quickly as possible.

Another topic that is hotly debated in Carinthia is wind turbines. The FPÖ is calling for a referendum. Can you understand that? 
I'm not surprised, because the FPÖ is doing nothing other than preventing the future. The energy transition is simply the future. Carinthia is an extremely beautiful country and the landscape also plays a role in this - and we also have to face up to this issue.

The National Council election campaign is also a hot topic.

(Bild: Evelyn Hronek/EVELYN HRONEK)

There are some criticisms of your work. How do you intend to help your top candidate Olga Voglauer in Carinthia? 
Renewable energies have an enormous tailwind - also in Carinthia. Wherever the energy transition is involved, people are involved. We can see that when it comes to climate protection, soil protection and renewable energies, you can only rely on the Greens. And we communicate this together with Olga Voglauer and I will of course support her in this.

Besuch im Buberlemoos

„Herzlichen Dank für das Bemühen“

The blazing sun shines down from the Carinthian sky in the afternoon. The thermometer reads 34 degrees Celsius. But that doesn't deter Environment Minister Gewessler, because after all, she has been invited by the citizens' initiative "Save the Buberlemoos" to visit one of the last wetlands on Lake Wörthersee; and let's not forget: It's an election campaign. Despite the high temperatures, the Minister makes time for the concerns of the citizens' initiative. In the shade of an apple tree, the Green Party member listens to the entire chronicle and plans for the Buberlemoos.

The word "renaturation" comes up again and again in the dialog between Gewessler and the environmentalists. After all, it was she who single-handedly pushed through the law at EU level. Now the task is to find showcase projects for this. And Gewessler seems to have found one in Pörtschach.

Gewessler had the whole story of the Buberlemooses told to him.

(Bild: Caj Perwein)

Between election campaign and ideology
"Thank you very much for your efforts," says the minister, before the entourage heads off into the sun. The minister is shown around the unique flora and talks to local residents - a real election campaign. And then you realize that it's not just the election campaign, but also green ideology: "After everything I've seen here, I can only say: nature should remain nature here. Such a beautiful and valuable patch of nature and therefore one of the last wetlands around Lake Wörthersee should be protected and preserved," the minister told the "Krone" newspaper.