Politics off the record

Dirty bucket session in the Salzburg state parliament

The Antheringer Au was purchased for around 35 million euros. The purchase price was mainly criticized. Haslauer's ÖVP defended the purchase and the opposition criticized it. However, the label was dispensed with.

(Bild: Tröster Andreas)

The parties showed their worst side and engaged in a low-level election campaign battle. There were even some ugly verbal tirades and even the otherwise calm governor got carried away with some low blows.

Governor Wilfried Haslauer (ÖVP) was unusually harsh in yesterday's special state parliament on the sale of the Antheringer Au. The otherwise level-headed head of the province did not shy away from using heavy artillery. He said to SPÖ leader David Egger, for example, that it was not his "cluelessness" or "maliciousness" that frightened him, but his "indifference" towards the people. Haslauer also called the opposition "perfidious" and their ideas "abstruse".

Haslauer and his colleagues launch an all-round attack
Such a belligerent governor? On such a "clean" topic? Strange, when, according to the government, everything surrounding the purchase of the Antheringer Au for more than 35 million (including taxes paid) from landowner Max Mayr-Melnhof was so transparent and correct?

In any case, together with his deputy leader Marlene Svazek (FPÖ) and state councillor Daniela Gutschi (ÖVP), he did not miss the opportunity to launch a party-political all-round attack on the SPÖ, Greens and KPÖ. Why the irritation?

The opposition did not put up with this and countered with harsh attacks. As is so often the case these days: dragging others into the mud instead of shining with strong ideas.

Level in the cellar
The state parliament session reached its low point with ÖVP party leader Wolfgang Mayer, who told SPÖ leader Egger that "the mirror was being held up to him and his party-political ugly face was being recognized". Given the choice of words, it doesn't help when he says he means it "metaphorically".

Insidious calculation in an abstruse meeting? You could almost think so. Because in terms of content, little has stuck from the Antheringer Au. If you listened to the most important politicians in the country, you just wanted to get on with the election campaign.

Incidentally, it sounds almost ironic after all the discussions about the Green Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler's push for a renaturation law when Haslauer stands up and says: "Renaturation is the order of the day." Incidentally, all parties (except the FPÖ) agreed on this.