Lack of competence

Post boss lashes out at politics before retirement

Pölzl is calling for a 75 percent reduction in bureaucracy.(Bild: APA/TOBIAS STEINMAURER)

The outgoing CEO of Austrian Post, Georg Pölzl, complains about high bureaucratic hurdles for companies in Austria and Europe. Companies should not be overwhelmed with "a flood" of rules. In general, there is too little discussion about competitiveness in Austria.

"We have excessive regulations and excessive reporting obligations that don't help anyone," said Pölzl on Saturday in the Ö1 series "Im Journal zu Gast". In principle, it is important for companies to report on measures and key figures in the area of sustainability, for example.

However, it does not make sense to have to provide information on various key figures every quarter with "accounting precision", criticized Pölzl. He welcomed EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's plan to reduce the reporting obligations of European industry by 25 percent. "However, a 75 percent reduction in bureaucracy would be necessary."

Pölzl: How does prosperity come about?
Pölzl expects "more discussion about the competitiveness of our economy" from the future government after the National Council elections in September. In Austria, there is a lot of talk about distribution, but little about the question of how prosperity is created in the first place.

He attested to a lack of economic competence among political personnel in Austria, with Austrians generally showing very little interest in economic issues.

Austrian Post in "good hands"
Pölzl, who will be retiring at the end of September after 15 years at the helm of the partly state-owned, listed company, believes Austrian Post is "in good hands". Much has been achieved in recent years, but his successor will not lack challenges, he summarized. Pölzl ruled out a position on the company's Supervisory Board in the near future, and he is not seeking political office either.