Salzburg's state budget

475 million euros in the red: the biggest chunks

The state government has approved a budget of 680 million euros in investments.

(Bild: Tröster Andreas)

There is significantly more money in the state budget for 2025 for health and social affairs. "This is not an austerity budget," say Haslauer and Svazek. There are savings in funding and personnel.

Corona was over. The Salzburg state government has not managed to balance its budget for five years now. It won't be possible next year either. Not by a long shot. 475 million euros in new debt is planned for 2025. That is the result of the state government's budget meeting on Monday.

In total, the state is planning to spend 4.441 billion euros. That is 85 million euros more than planned for this year. Governor and Finance Minister Wilfried Haslauer (ÖVP) is presenting the budget under the motto "Invest, expand, consolidate". For Haslauer, drawing up the budget was a "balancing act" between investing and saving, as he says. The savings are to be made "in a wide variety of areas" and will generate around 70 million euros. Nevertheless, Haslauer and his deputy Marlene Svazek (FPÖ) emphasize: "This is not an austerity budget."

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/stock.adobe.com)

The heating cost subsidy will be significantly reduced
They point to the economic conditions. "We are in the longest recession since the end of the Second World War. We wanted to draw up a budget that didn't make radical savings," explains Svazek. As usual, the majority of the budget - almost half - goes to health and social services. This is also where the biggest increases are to be found. In addition to major projects such as the provincial service center and the Festspielhaus renovation, investments are primarily being made in public transport. In addition to the S-Link, a lot of money is flowing into the expansion of the local railroad and new train sets.

Over the coming years, however, new borrowing is set to fall. In 2025, savings will be made in areas such as photovoltaic funding, the heating cost subsidy, personnel and - after much criticism of the increase last year - funding for the provincial parliamentary clubs and representation expenses (minus ten percent in each case).

Criticism of the draft budget comes from the opposition. For SPÖ leader David Egger, despite half a billion euros in new debt, there is no clear focus on housing and care. For the Greens, climate protection and the energy transition are being blocked by the budget. "Cutting back on projects and subsidies that protect our livelihoods is forgetting the future," says Green Party leader Martina Berthold.