A total of 78 people are employed in the state secretariats. Hafenecker sees this as an irresponsible use of taxpayers' money to employ their own party supporters.

The leader in costs, according to the series of inquiries first reported by the daily newspaper "Österreich", is the cabinet of State Secretary Alexander Pröll (ÖVP). Monthly expenses there amount to around 209,000 euros for 18 employees. At the same time, the FPÖ Secretary General criticized Pröll's work record. NEOS State Secretary Josef Schellhorn, on the other hand, currently has the lowest costs with around 64,000 euros monthly and eight employees.

Hafenecker also expressed surprise at a press conference about the fact that - contrary to previous practices - the ministries employ state secretaries from their own party. Previously, these served to control the coalition partner, but now ÖVP, SPÖ, and NEOS have "control state secretariats in their own ministries."

SPÖ Responds

The SPÖ did not want to let the criticism go unanswered. "The FPÖ is sitting in a glass house and throwing stones recklessly," responded Federal Managing Director Klaus Seltenheim in a statement to Hafenecker's "unspeakable statements." "When it comes to scandals, expenses, and waste of taxpayers' money, the FPÖ is always at the forefront," he said.

(APA/Red)

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