Appearance in Chicago

Vilimsky speaker at US climate denier institute

The head of the FPÖ delegation in the European Parliament, Harald Vilimsky, appeared at a benefit dinner of a well-known right-wing think tank in the USA on Friday.

(Bild: APA/MAX SLOVENCIK)

The head of the FPÖ delegation in the European Parliament, Harald Vilimsky, has appeared together with the British Brexit advocate Nigel Farage at a charity dinner of a well-known right-wing think tank in the USA. This was reported by the British newspaper "The Guardian".

As the Guardian reported online on Saturday, Vilimsky spoke at a dinner in a hotel in Chicago on Friday. The think tank in question is the Heartland Institute.

Focus on climate change denial
The organization was funded by the tobacco industry in the 1990s and fought against smoking bans at the time. Supported by the (oil) industry, the focus in recent years has been on denying climate change itself or man-made climate factors.

"However, a number of (donors, note) have turned away since a Heartland campaign equated climate activists with terrorists," wrote the Kölner Stadtanzeiger newspaper about the think tank three years ago. Other media reports speak of "systematic disinformation" on global warming.

FPÖ EU mandatary Vilimsky was listed on the website (see screenshot above) as one of the speakers at the fundraising dinner to mark the 40th anniversary of the Heartland Institute.

(Bild: Heartland Institute (Screenshot))

According to the Guardian, the dinner was a fundraising event to mark the 40th anniversary of the Heartland Institute. A one-way ticket cost 199 US dollars (180 euros), with an entire table starting at 4000 dollars (around 3600 euros). The "platinum table" at which Farage sat cost 50,000 US dollars (the equivalent of 45,100 euros). Farage, who sits in the British parliament for his Reform UK party, was the main speaker.

Vilimsky listed as speaker on website
Vilimsky is also listed by the Heartland Institute as one of the speakers. Alongside a picture of the MEP, it says: Vilimsky and Heartland would work together - "especially when it comes to countering climate alarmism and pointless, 'green' energy policies in Europe".

The billion-dollar lobby of climate change deniers from the US has been reaching out to Europe for some time now and has found willing partners in various right-wing populist parties, such as the FPÖ and the German AfD.

It is therefore no wonder that the arguments used by the Freedom Party regarding global warming are often strongly reminiscent of the most important climate denialist institutes - including those of the aforementioned Heartland Institute or the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow.