Chancellor in Burgenland

Nehammer: “Want to achieve first place”

Chancellor Karl Nehammer with provincial party chairman Christian Sagartz and other ÖVP managers at the provincial hiking day of the Seniors' Association in Deutsch Tschantschendorf.

(Bild: ÖVP/Sebastian Friedl)

Burgenland was the eighth stop on Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer's (ÖVP) tour of the federal states. He is optimistic about the National Council elections on September 29.

As part of his Burgenland day, hands were eagerly shaken at the regional hiking day of the ÖVP Seniors' Association in Deutsch Tschantschendorf. Speaking to journalists in Eisenstadt, Nehammer once again emphasized that it had been right not to respond to the "provocations" of Energy and Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) and to switch to a "free play of forces" in parliament. Instead, the government had decided on important matters. The Chancellor highlighted the agreement on the last third of the cold progression, the increase in the mileage allowance and the National Climate Plan. "Politics should not dwell on sensitivities," said Nehammer.

Reducing illegal migration

The fight against illegal migration remains an important issue in the country. Nehammer emphasized the successes of "Operation Fox" and the cooperation with Serbia. This has made it possible to reduce illegal migration by 97 percent. In the previous year, 660 smugglers had also been arrested. In future, it will also be necessary to deport people directly to Syria and Afghanistan.

Apprehensions of migrants at the Burgenland border have recently decreased significantly.

(Bild: Christian Schulter/Schulter Christian, Krone KREATIV)

"Radicalization on the fringes"
In the current election campaign, Nehammer identified "a tendency towards radicalization on the fringes". He referred to "Marxist approaches" in the SPÖ and criticized the "inbreeding statement" and the "discussion about the death penalty" in the FPÖ. "It shows that it is right to focus on the political center," said the Chancellor. In any case, the People's Party wants to finish first in the National Council elections. When asked whether Governor Hans Peter Doskozil would have been a more difficult opponent than the current SPÖ leader Andreas Babler, Nehammer said: "You can't choose your opponent."

The Chancellor does not have a preferred partner for the coalition negotiations. "The FPÖ is not Herbert Kickl and there are also good relations with reasonable representatives in the SPÖ," said Nehammer.