Criticism after 100 Days of Government: Greens Identify Setbacks
The outgoing federal spokesperson Werner Kogler criticized wrong priorities in budget consolidation, such as cutting the climate bonus and the social third in compensating for cold progression. His designated successor Leonore Gewessler criticized that "climate protection is being degraded to a minor issue on the open stage."
Savings are being made in the wrong places, Kogler said at a press conference on Friday. The less income and the more children a family has, and the more remote their residence, the higher the cuts would be. "This is truly unsocial and economically unreasonable." At the same time, there is a "brake mark" in the expansion of photovoltaics and the acceleration of wind power expansion.
On the other hand, "regressive things that we admittedly also did not manage to eliminate" are being extended, Kogler referred to the diesel and company car privileges. If you add the "perverse" NoVa exemption for small trucks with combustion engines, billions are left on the table here. The former Vice-Chancellor can fundamentally understand that with a tight budget, adjustments are made to the abolition of cold progression. "But cutting in that third, which is called the social third for good reasons, and not among those with higher incomes, is more than symbolic."
"Regression is the new motto"
Similarly, Gewessler: "Regression is the new motto." The government's measures would affect those who are already struggling. Conversely, "everything remains the same for the super-rich, large corporations, and fossil privileges." While subsidies for heating replacement are cut and the expansion of public transport is put on hold, billions continue to be available for "highways through nature reserves."
For the deputy club chairwoman Alma Zadic, it is "concerning" that Chancellor Christian Stocker (ÖVP) is calling for the softening of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) in a letter, and his coalition partners are watching. The suspension of family reunification for refugees is legally questionable for Zadic, as are the plans for messenger surveillance. In the appointments of positions at the Constitutional and Administrative Court, the "good old party color game" played a role again.
Greenpeace expressed a similar view: The environmental NGO gave a "Fail" to the government on the occasion of the 100-day mark. While the next hot summer is approaching, important climate and environmental protection measures are absent. Particularly negative is the performance of Economic Minister Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer (ÖVP). In contrast, SPÖ environmental spokesperson Julia Herr stated: The Greens left the new government with a "budget disaster." Subsidies are now being restructured and budget funds used efficiently. Additionally, overdue measures such as the Climate Act, the Electricity Industry Act, or the Renewable Expansion Acceleration Act are being worked on.
(APA/Red)
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