Landbauer critical

“Gewessler’s goal is a speed of 30/80/100 km/h”

(Bild: krone.tv)

In an interview with krone.tv, Lower Austria's Deputy Governor Udo Landbauer (FPÖ) analyzes his experiences to date with the payment card for asylum seekers, which has been introduced in his state on a trial basis, and his proposal to introduce a speed limit of 150 km/h on some of Lower Austria's freeways.

Landbauer: "The speed limit is not a state competence in itself, but a federal matter. However, the former attempt by the then Minister of Transport Norbert Hofer to allow a speed limit of 140 km/h on Lower Austrian sections of the Westautobahn was successful. The risk of accidents has decreased despite the higher speed." Landbauer primarily sees the west highway and the south highway as suitable for 150 km/h in some sections. However, the reality is currently quite different: "The major goal of the Minister of Transport (Leonore Gewessler, note) is a general speed limit of 30 km/h in urban areas, 80 km/h on open roads and 100 km/h on the freeway."

Udo Landbauer

(Bild: krone.tv)

Payment card instead of cash
Landbauer's experience with the payment card instead of cash for refugees has been positive: "The test phase of the benefit-in-kind card will be completed by October. In November, the entire province will then switch over to it. Our aim is to make Lower Austria as unattractive as possible for economic migrants. The first refugees have already left the province." From Landbauer's point of view, Vienna, on the other hand, would be a social paradise for asylum seekers. Landbauer: "I keep talking to City Councillor for Social Affairs Peter Hacker. We in Lower Austria will not reverse the switch to payment cards instead of cash. But Vienna can adopt our payment card model."

Ban on weapons in asylum homes
As far as the cooperation with Johanna Mikl-Leitner to date is concerned, the Deputy Governor says: "We are working together on the working agreement. We have already implemented a lot of it. For example, the Corona Fund, the Swimming Kids campaign, the benefits-in-kind card and the abolition of the ORF state tax." Landbauer also believes that the ban on weapons in asylum homes would be effective: "Anyone who carries weapons in an asylum home in Lower Austria, such as knives, brass knuckles or fixators, will be excluded from basic welfare support."