Government Agreed on Work Plan

By then, they aim to initiate, among other things, the inclusion of nursing professions in the heavy labor pension regulation, the first steps towards the creation of a federal prosecutor's office, and a German language promotion package, as the party leaders of the three coalition parties ÖVP, SPÖ, and NEOS explained on Wednesday at the conclusion of the government retreat at the Federal Chancellery.

Nursing and Federal Prosecutor's Office

By the summer, they intend to decide on the recognition of nursing professions as heavy labor, thus enabling nursing staff to receive a heavy labor pension, announced Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler (SPÖ). This aims to create recognition for the enormously important and demanding nursing profession and provide more opportunities to transition directly from the nursing profession to retirement without an interim period of unemployment, according to Babler.

Additionally, the government wants to focus on the creation of a federal prosecutor's office by the summer and take the first steps towards it. It is high time to protect the prosecutor's office and thus the judiciary "from the mere appearance of influence," said Babler. According to the government program, the planned federal prosecutor's office is to be a collegial body at the top of the chain of command of the prosecutor's offices, appointed by parliament on the proposal of an expert commission. Currently, the Minister of Justice is the highest professional oversight of the prosecutor's offices. According to Babler, the National Action Plan against Violence against Women is also to be presented soon.

Budget and German

Foreign Minister and NEOS leader Beate Meinl-Reisinger announced that the government plans to launch a German language support package "before Easter." Additionally, Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr will present his plan for an educational initiative for early childhood education, according to Meinl-Reisinger.

Chancellor Christian Stocker (ÖVP) named budget consolidation as the first cornerstone of government work until the summer, which will be approached in a nationwide process together with states and municipalities, and reforms will also be discussed within this group. The second focus will be on the economic location and stimulating the economy, said Stocker. The Chancellor also referred to the implementation of previously announced labor market measures and messenger surveillance, which they intend to advance in the coming weeks.

"High Pace"

All three party leaders demonstratively praised the "constructive climate" at the government retreat. It was possible to engage in intensive work in a very short time, in agreement and in a good atmosphere, said Stocker. With the retreats, the government shows that it has a "high pace" in implementing planned measures while simultaneously responding to geopolitical and economic developments, said Meinl-Reisinger.

Criticism came from the FPÖ, which preemptively denied the planned federal prosecutor's office political independence and advocated for the retention of the right to issue directives. "The directive authority of the public prosecutor's office must be located with the Minister of Justice. Only then is he accountable to the parliament, and only then can the minister be held responsible," said Justice spokesperson Harald Stefan.

(APA/Red)

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