Selenskyj Visit in Vienna Was a Controversial Topic in the National Council

The Freedom Party submitted an "urgent inquiry" to Chancellor Christian Stocker (ÖVP) regarding the visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the National Council on Monday. Since Stocker was unavailable due to the meeting, State Secretary Alexander Pröll (ÖVP) answered the questions instead. The FPÖ sharply criticized the state visit, also because it took place parallel to the budget debate.

Criticism of Zelensky Visit - "Diversionary Tactic" from the Budget

The budget debate is one of the most important plenary sessions. Organizing a state visit that attracts media interest in parallel is practical for the federal government to divert from the budget disaster, but it shows a lack of respect, said MP Susanne Fürst, who justified the "urgent inquiry" for the Freedom Party: "One gets the feeling our politicians are more there for Ukraine than for our citizens." While austerity measures are being implemented here, "millions are easily available for Ukraine," criticized Fürst. Meanwhile, it is unclear what happens with the money. There is virtually no control over corruption.

Neutrality should actually be a "clear foreign policy compass," said Fürst: "But they have trampled neutrality to death." One cannot declare solidarity with a warring party and invite the president of a warring party at the "most dangerous time of the war." Fürst criticized the "political-media staging that serves self-interest, but not Austria." During the inquiry, the Freedom Party displayed signs with the slogans "Time for Peace" and "Time for Neutrality."

State Secretary Pröll Stood in for Chancellor Stocker

Instead of Stocker, State Secretary Pröll answered the questions. He prefaced by stating that Russia is conducting a "brutal war of aggression" against Ukraine. Austria has stood as a "reliable partner" by Ukraine's side since day one. "We all want an end to the war," emphasized Pröll: "Austria supports all efforts." However, Russia rejects an unconditional ceasefire. Therefore, pressure will be increased on all levels. Pröll warned against a perpetrator-victim reversal by the Freedom Party. Moreover, Austrian neutrality does not preclude political and humanitarian support for Ukraine.

Zelensky was a guest of Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen in Austria. The visit was based on a corresponding invitation from 2022 and followed protocol standards. As part of the visit, a meeting with the Chancellor and other government members was also planned. Additionally, representatives of the economy were invited to discuss reconstruction. The goal is to position the Austrian economy for reconstruction, explained Pröll. The reconstruction offers great potential for the domestic economy. Pröll could not specify the costs of the visit and referred to the responsibility of the Presidential Chancellery and the Foreign Ministry. Currently, no further visits by high-ranking Ukrainian politicians are planned, nor is a trip by Stocker to Ukraine.

FPÖ Accused of "Russian Propaganda"

The following debate was heated. For ÖVP MP Andreas Minnich (ÖVP), the criticism voiced by the FPÖ sounded like it was "directly from Radio Moscow." The Russian responsibility for the war of aggression on Ukraine and Russian war crimes, on the other hand, were not addressed, he criticized.

As "completely crazy" described the foreign policy spokesperson of the SPÖ, Petra Bayr, the argumentation of the FPÖ. Even neutral Switzerland had received the Ukrainian President without its neutrality collapsing. Especially as a neutral state, it is important to enable debates, said Bayr.

NEOS club chairman Yannick Shetty also accused the freedom party deputies of spreading "the finest Russian propaganda." He criticized the urgent inquiry as a "transparent populist maneuver" aimed at dividing society on a day of unity in remembrance of the victims of the rampage in Graz.

The Green club chairman Werner Kogler described the FPÖ's accusation of wanting to distract from the budget debate with the Selenskyj visit as an absurd "big conspiracy plug." In Ukraine, peace is needed, he said in response to the FPÖ's demand, "but a just peace and not a dictated peace." "This reversal of perpetrator and victim must end," Kogler said towards the FPÖ.

Excitement over interjection by Belakowitsch

An interjection by FPÖ representative Dagmar Belakowitsch caused a stir. According to the protocol read by the Second President of the National Council, Peter Haubner (ÖVP), she commented on a report by Shetty about his visit to the mass graves in Bucha with the words: "You had a lot of fun there, didn't you?" and received a reprimand for it.

The Green club chairman Werner Kogler called the interjection "unbelievable" and "subterranean." He described the FPÖ's accusation of wanting to distract from the budget debate with the Selenskyj visit as an absurd "big conspiracy plug." In Ukraine, peace is needed, he said in response to the FPÖ's demand, "but a just peace and not a dictated peace." "This reversal of perpetrator and victim must end," Kogler said towards the FPÖ.

NEOS Secretary General Douglas Hoyos described the interjection as a "scandal" and demanded consequences from Belakowitsch and the FPÖ in a statement. "Anyone who displays such an attitude has no place in the High House and in politics," he suggested the representative withdraw and also called on FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl to "publicly apologize on behalf of the FPÖ."

NEOS demand resignation of Belakowitsch over remark

The NEOS are demanding the resignation of Belakowitsch following her National Council remark. "Anyone who trivializes massacres has no place in Austrian domestic politics," says NEOS deputy club chairwoman Martina Künsberg Sarre. Such lapses damage Austria's reputation and mock the victims of the Russian war of aggression.

(APA/Red)

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