2023-11-02 18:54:35
State governors spoke with the Federal President in Villach – topics including the fight once morest the climate crisis, sustainability in politics, the development of democracy and geopolitical developments
Villach (OTS/LPD) – In the run-up to the state governors’ conference, Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen met the state governors in Villach today, Thursday, at the invitation of Carinthia’s state governor Peter Kaiser, currently chairman of the state governors’ conference, for an exchange.
“We are currently experiencing a turning point: instability is becoming the new normal, uncertainty is becoming more and more widespread on many levels. Political cooperation across all political and party boundaries is all the more necessary. The exchange with Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen was and is important to me and my counterparts,” said Kaiser following the approximately one and a half hour conversation in the Warmbaderhof in Villach.
One of the main topics was the fight once morest the climate crisis: “Especially here in Carinthia, but also in the other federal states, we experienced devastating storm disasters last summer, which show us how urgently we need to do something. The state governors can make important contributions so that things can move forward quickly,” appealed Van der Bellen.
In this context, the Federal President also welcomed the establishment of a new instrument within the framework of financial equalization, the Future Fund. “It makes sense to combine the use of tax money with clear goals in terms of climate protection, but also in expanding childcare. These are current challenges where the federal, state and local governments share responsibility,” said the Federal President. And further: “High-quality, well-developed childcare must be of great concern to us as a society, because it is not only an important instrument on the way to equality between women and men, but also a prerequisite for the economic success of our companies, which in many places urgently looking for employees.”
According to Kaiser, the state governors also agree on this: “We need a common approach here with the federal government, without paternalism and without one-sided excessive demands on states and municipalities.” It is regarding a fair and equitable distribution of tax money, which the federal government also represents the federal states collect.
The Federal President and the state governors emphasized the great importance of the European Union. Current geopolitical crises and challenges were also discussed, primarily of course the brutal attack by the terrorist organization Hamas on Israel and the Russian war of aggression once morest Ukraine. The Federal President reported to the state governors regarding the discussions he held on this subject at the UN General Assembly in New York at the end of September.
“It is our common task as politicians, as a community of solidarity, to do everything we can to further promote peace efforts. “Austria has a historical responsibility to assume, especially with regard to the resurgence of anti-Semitism across Europe and the world and the consequences of this on our society,” said Kaiser.
Another topic at the meeting between the Federal President and state governors in Villach was the mood in the population and trust in politics. Due to the great stress and uncertainty of the population in view of the many crises that we are currently experiencing at the same time, democracy is also coming under pressure, said the Federal President in an interview with the state governors: “The temptation to fall for populism is becoming greater. We really have to be vigilant here. Simple solutions are not a solution. We have to work together across party lines – even though it can be tiring, it’s the only way we can overcome challenges.”
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Questions & Contact:
Office of the Carinthian state government, state press service
050 536-10201
www.ktn.gv.at
1698972634
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