Fee wobbles

Finally an end to the Styrian ORF fee

Mario Kunasek and Christopher Drexler: ORF levy is shaky

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Christian Jauschowetz)

Styrians pay the highest broadcasting fee of all the federal states. Now the provincial surcharge of 4.70 euros is shaking massively: the FPÖ and ÖVP want to overturn the levy. And massive cuts are also being made to asylum costs.

In contrast to Vienna, where the ÖVP, SPÖ and Neos are negotiating at a snail's pace, the airport negotiators in Graz are moving at supersonic speed. On Friday, Blue and Black drew a first interim balance of their talks, which were characterized by "an appreciative atmosphere": There was agreement in important areas and the issues of employment, the economy and infrastructure had already been dealt with. "There is agreement, for example, that the reduction of bureaucracy must be driven forward," emphasized Governor-to-be Mario Kunasek. They will do "everything in their power" to secure domestic jobs.

Negotiations at Graz Airport.

(Bild: Jauschowetz Christian)

Only this officially leaks out from the quiet chamber at the Thalerhof, but unofficially the "Steirerkrone" also learns of two further drastic measures that the FPÖ and ÖVP want to implement over the next five years.

Firstly, the ORF provincial tax will be cut! At 20 euros, Styrians are known to pay the most in Austria because the state adds another 4.70 euros to the "compulsory tax" of 15.30 euros. This white-green extra tax amounts to a total of 30 million euros, which flows into the cultural and sports sector. The Freedom Party is railing like a mantra against this "rip-off" and has therefore included the abolition in the coalition's work program.

"Broadcasting levy will not survive"
The People's Party under chief negotiator and still provincial governor Christopher Drexler is signaling agreement: "The provincial broadcasting levy will not survive the legislative period," according to leaks from ÖVP circles.

Secondly, massive cuts are to be made to social spending - the two parties also agree on this. The Freedom Party also owes its strong gains in the state elections to its tough stance on asylum, and the Black Party also campaigned on the issue of migration. "Nobody understands why immigrants who have barely paid into the system are getting so much out of it," said Christopher Drexler, for example. "This is an imbalance that urgently needs to be rectified." This will be done in future . . .