ÖVP leader Karl Mahrer:

“Vienna is a social and crime magnet”

(Bild: krone.tv)

Vienna's ÖVP leader Karl Mahrer is a guest in the krone.tv interview on the topic of "Violence and Islamization in Vienna". When asked whether the Vienna city government is doing enough to curb violence in Vienna, he replies: "The SPÖ and, with their help, the Neos have turned Vienna into a social and crime magnet in recent years. Because far more social benefits are paid in Vienna than in the surrounding provinces."

Mahrer adds: "This social policy has also led to a completely overburdened infrastructure. In the areas of health, housing and education. I only have to remind you of the creation of container classes, which we will now have to experience in September." The ÖVP had therefore given Vienna's City Councillor for Health and Social Affairs, Peter Hacker, an ultimatum to present a proposal by mid-September on how he would implement social reform in Vienna. In Mahrer's view, people do not understand why more social benefits are paid in Vienna than everywhere else.

ÖVP chairman Karl Mahrer

(Bild: krone.tv)

Hacker's "I don't care"
 At Reumannplatz, the violence situation has recently improved somewhat due to the weapons ban zone. There has been a drop in crime of around 60 percent. Mahrer: "When Councillor Hacker is asked today whether it is a problem for him that there are so many Muslim young people and children in the schools and that they already have a majority in the schools, and Councillor Hacker literally says "I don't care", then that shows the line of the SPÖ and the city government. So I don't give a damn. And we will continue to pursue this issue intensively. Firstly, because we are looking and not looking away and secondly, because we really want to solve the problems and can solve them."

Knife attacks and gun attacks
The Viennese ÖVP leader believes that developments in the area of "radical Islam" are particularly extreme: "What we have seen in Vienna in recent months is unprecedented. Youth gang conflicts, crime on the streets, in parks, on public transport. Knife attacks, gun attacks in the Brunnenmarkt area, the Yppenmarkt, in Favoriten. And above all ethnic conflicts. These are isolated communities that only communicate within themselves. And you have to imagine that the council of elders of ethnic communities is conducting peace negotiations with the other community in Vienna. That is absolutely absurd. And that leads to the subject of Islamism. And Islamism is a threat to the Republic of Austria and to Vienna if Islamism also leads to political Islam. And when it actually has in its background that it demands the abolition of the Republic of Austria. That religion should be above the law. That people no longer believe in equal rights for men and women."  

Checking Afghans and Syrians
Mahrer calls for the granting of citizenship to third-country nationals to be regulated and checked much more strictly: "We need to take a much closer look at Afghans, Somalis, Syrians and others who have grown up outside the European Union before they are granted Austrian citizenship. Because radicalized people cannot become Austrian citizens. We need even closer controls here." The SPÖ, on the other hand, sees the granting of citizenship as a self-service store.