At a press conference, constitutional spokeswoman Susanne Fürst clearly extended her hand to the ÖVP. Only with the FPÖ can the strict migration policy that the Chancellor’s party is promoting be implemented. The Blues support the ÖVP’s demands, such as those for return centers, because these “correspond exactly to the image of ‘Fortress Austria’. Let us build it together!”
Deportations to countries of origin, especially to Afghanistan and Syria, secure external borders and a halt to development aid for countries that do not cooperate will only happen with the black-blue coalition. “We find all of this very encouraging. But please let us pay attention to what he says now if he is to become chancellor after the election,” said Fürst, not entirely trusting the promises of Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP).
“Full support and backing”
She is pleased that the former finance minister and new EU commissioner Magnus Brunner (ÖVP) will be responsible for migration in the future. “The ÖVP and Brunner will have our full support and backing,” provided they follow up on their announcements with actions. However, she does not agree with Brunner’s positive view of the EU migration pact. “The pact is by no means suitable for stopping illegal migration. It simply declares illegal immigration to be legal.” The migration pact does not need to be questioned, “it needs to be scrapped.”
Security spokesman Hannes Amesbauer, who is considered a ministerial figure in the party, tried to explain why the Freedom Party has been promoting the ‘Fortress Austria’ with its zero asylum limit for many months. There have been an average of 340 reports per day against foreigners over the past five years, said Amesbauer. “Knife fights, gang wars, Islamism, the threat of terrorism,” he said, painting a grim picture. The fact that terror alert level four has been in effect for some time now is “exclusively due to immigration.” And therefore: “The fortress is nothing to be afraid of. That’s a great term. Anyone can leave at any time, but we as fortress residents can also decide when to raise the drawbridge.”
Coalition with FPÖ only with Kickl
A big question still remains for Fürst and Amesbauer just a few days before the election: Nehammer must explain with whom he wants to implement his demands in the area of migration, after he had repeatedly ruled out a coalition with FPÖ party leader Herbert Kickl. “It won’t work with the Greens and the SPÖ.” Fürst stressed once again that there would be no coalition with the FPÖ without Kickl.
