Toskozil, on behalf of Alexander van der Bellen, sees the ÖVP instead of the FPÖ in the first place as “a move in the direction of dividing and dividing the population”. The FPÖ’s rejection of the mandate to form a government was not just about federal party leader Herbert Kickle, but “about an electorate that is not on board at the end of the day”.
Toskozil again advised his own party against participating in the government – van der Bellen said this in the parties to the decision and Toskozil again advised the SPÖ to remain in opposition. That would be a “false conclusion”. With the result of the National Council elections, voters did not give the Social Democratic Party a mandate to govern.
Toskosil: We don’t have to hide
The main topic of the press conference was the annual report of the Burgenland state government. The SPÖ government presented it under the title “Burgenland – Where Things Continue”. There is no need to hide, said state governor Hans-Peter Toskozil. As a social democratic country, one can confidently say that in the last five years, we have taken the decisions we needed to make and pushed forward important issues. When the government took office, the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis were not on the agenda.
The minimum wage is a “focal point” for Toskozil
According to the SPÖ balance sheet, a total of 750 measures were implemented. Toskozil described the minimum wage as a focal point of government action. It is currently €2,270 net. Toskosil says the minimum wage helps people live their lives without subsidies.
The main topic of observation
In the care sector, the state governor mentions, among other things, the employment of caring relatives – about which 332 people care for their relatives. A delayed tender for the implementation of maintenance sites will now take place in the autumn – more on this in the tender for maintenance sites in 2024. Care should be used in the interests of the people, Doskozil stressed.
Basics of care should also take care of the minimum wage. Before the election, Doskozil wants to enshrine the non-profit status of the operators in the law to prevent public money from flowing into the dividends of private companies. In the future, he also envisions “light nursing sites” where two to three people share a 24-hour nursing staff.
Automate subsidies through heat price caps
The state governor wants to keep the rent cap introduced in the wake of the price hike for now “until we get into calmer waters in the interest rate market”. Thermal price range is also available and will be further improved. This should form the basis for automation of state finances. In particular, when people in Burgenland apply for the heat price cap, they must provide data on their income level and then automatically receive all the subsidies they are entitled to without having to apply separately.
Energy Community “Fan Club Burgenland”
Doskozil highlighted the announced “Fanclub Burgenland” energy community as an important step, which will guarantee an electricity price of ten cents per kilowatt hour for 20 years – starting in January in the new energy community.
In addition, the state governor wants to support organic farming more in the future and wants to bring a constitutional complaint against full flats in animal husbandry. The Constitutional Court (VfGH) ruled last January in favor of fully flats in pig farming – on fully flat floors: the VfGH raises the long transition period.
The restructuring bonus is under review
Toskozil also talked about the points from the government plan that were not implemented as planned. For example, unsealed bonuses and childminders’ reinstatement are outstanding. For both points, it will be examined whether the project is still necessary in view of other measures such as land collection tax or construction of a year-round kindergarten.
A pilot project with 14 hydrogen buses in the district of Neusiedl am See has so far failed because the federal government did not want to participate, the state said. The planned construction of a mobility center in southern Burgenland is abandoned, as the newly established Burgenland transport company is now based there anyway. The 24-hour stores of the organic marketing cooperative Bioland Burgenland, planned as part of the organic transition, failed due to the opening hours law at the federal level.
In addition, the extension of the minimum wage of 2,270 euros from the public-related sector to the private sector was rejected as a decision-making criterion for the state’s tenders, because an audit showed legal preferences. Not for this one.
The ÖVP sees a desire for change
ÖVP leader Christian Sagards said in a reaction on Thursday that there is a desire for change in Burgenland. Celebrations and glossy brochures couldn’t change that. ÖVP club leader Markus Ullram asked why the country needs 200,000 bottles of champagne when a state-owned dairy farm, an ailing sugar factory or a wedding institution are at risk of bankruptcy. The government presented the APA with the possibility of using the sugar mill as an additional depot for the government museum – more on this will be developed in consideration of the sugar mill.
