"Not a priority"

Expansion of control rights: ÖVP stifles opposition

The control rights of the Vorarlberg state parliament are unlikely to be extended any time soon.

(Bild: sos)

The Vorarlberg ÖVP has shot down the opposition's request to expand the rights of scrutiny in the state parliament by reforming the committee of inquiry. The existing instruments are sufficient and other issues currently have priority.

How quickly the wind can change: In the last legislative period, all parties in the provincial parliament were still committed to expanding oversight rights - including the ÖVP, which at the time had its back to the wall as a result of the advertising affair surrounding the Wirtschaftsbund. After months of negotiations, agreement was finally reached on twelve out of 13 points for a far-reaching reform of the U-Committee, with only the question of the arbitration body for file deliveries remaining contentious. The ÖVP, which insisted on a unanimous decision, finally terminated the talks, which was met with widespread incomprehension on the part of the opposition.

"Reform is currently not a priority"
In January, the Greens, SPÖ and NEOS made a new attempt in the matter. They submitted a joint motion to implement the package that had already been drawn up. With regard to the arbitration board, the legal department of the provincial government was to draw up a proposal. However, the ÖVP's willingness to reform seems to have evaporated. In any case, party leader Veronika Marte rejected the proposal rather brusquely in the legal committee on Wednesday: a reform of control rights is currently not a priority, the governing parties have enough to do with reducing bureaucracy, making the business location more attractive and restructuring the state budget. In addition, the state parliament already has a wide range of control options at its disposal.

Disillusionment among the Greens and Neos
Naturally, this rebuff has not gone down particularly well with the Greens, Neos and SPÖ. "This is very painful. Right now, we should be doing everything we can to strengthen our democracy," says Green Party spokesperson for control Eva Hammerer in disappointment. For her, one thing is certain: "Black-Blue is blocking control rights. This is a foretaste of what we will be facing in Vorarlberg in the coming years." Neos parliamentary group leader Claudia Gamon also holds the blue government partner responsible: "The fact that the ÖVP shies away from control and transparency like the devil shuns holy water is nothing new. But for the FPÖ to reject the motion is simply spineless. Anyone who constantly talks about criticism of the system and control, but then blocks precisely this, shows once again that it is not about principles, but about power."