A proposal stipulates that the leadership of the fund is no longer necessarily held by the President of the National Council. National Council President and Fraternity Member Walter Rosenkranz (FPÖ) could be represented by the Second or Third President. Additionally, the main committee of the National Council should be able to elect one of the two as chairman of the board of trustees. The National Council President would not have to give up his position. Currently, Peter Haubner (ÖVP) and Doris Bures (SPÖ) are the possible candidates. The FPÖ did not agree to the proposal.

National Fund Chairmanship: Parties Hope for Rosenkranz's Resignation

The IKG had announced that it would no longer participate in meetings of the National Fund if they were chaired by Rosenkranz as legally stipulated. The concerns are justified and should be taken seriously, said SPÖ spokesperson for remembrance culture Sabine Schatz in a statement. "I hope Rosenkranz now takes his responsibility seriously and allows himself to be fully represented to ensure the continued good cooperation of the National Fund with the representation of the victims."

"Walter Rosenkranz himself stated in his inaugural speech as National Council President that he would not hesitate to 'step aside as a person' should parts of the Jewish community in Vienna and all of Austria refuse a dialogue with him," recalled ÖVP constitutional spokesperson Wolfgang Gerstl, "accordingly, we are holding him to his word." Green right-wing extremism spokesperson Lukas Hammer also hopes that Rosenkranz realizes "that he is not tenable as chairman of the National Fund and voluntarily steps aside," as he said in the Ö1 "Midday Journal." He pointed out that the former office manager of the National Council President is being investigated for violations of the Prohibition Act.

IKG President Oskar Deutsch spoke in a statement of "wise amendment proposals" that "take into account Austria's responsibility towards the victims of National Socialism." He explicitly supported the possibility for the main committee to elect the Second President as chairman of the board of trustees if Rosenkranz does not voluntarily step down.

Tasks of the National Fund "of Great Importance" to FPÖ and Rosenkranz

The FPÖ opposed the legislative change. The tasks of the National Fund - reparation to victims, survivors, and descendants - "are not only of great importance to the Freedom Party but also to National Council President Dr. Walter Rosenkranz. That he is now to be effectively excluded from the chairmanship by this new law is not a contribution to reconciliation and remembrance culture, which should not be denied to anyone, least of all the strongest democratic party in Austria," said justice spokesperson Harald Stefan. The legislative change requires a two-thirds majority in the National Council, which would be given with the approval of the governing parties and the Greens.

(APA/Red)

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