There is a push for further relaxation of lending rules. In addition, the federal states want to be able to control housing needs through a vacancy tax. Insurance cover for informal volunteering is required, said Lower Austria’s governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner (ÖVP) in a press conference.
The states would like to have more control options when it comes to “people’s housing.” According to Carinthia’s Governor Peter Kaiser (SPÖ), a resolution at the LH conference called for appropriate authorization to introduce a vacancy tax. This should be possible in a volume that can also have a controlling effect.
“Don’t let up” on lending guidelines
When it comes to property, Mikl-Leitner, who currently chairs the LH conference, believes that a lot has already been achieved with the federal housing package and the first relaxation of the KIM regulation. The country representatives have agreed to “not let up” until the financial market regulator deletes the lending guidelines.
“We do not want to and will not accept the rise in anti-Semitism,” emphasized Mikl-Leitner. On the one hand, all students should visit a concentration camp memorial or a Jewish museum in Austria at least once. On the other hand, such a visit should also become part of the integration or naturalization process, said the state governor. “Anti-Semitism has no place here – regardless of whether it is right-wing, left-wing or Muslim,” she said.
Video: What was decided at the LH conference
When it comes to volunteering, the LH conference unanimously voted for nationwide insurance coverage for informal volunteering. Mikl-Leitner announced that Social Affairs Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens) would be invited to negotiations with the states regarding the joint financing of such a project. There is currently no or no suitable protection for neighborhood help here.
The decision on the topic of wolves was also unanimous. Kaiser demanded that the animal’s protection status be lowered. The EU Commission has also suggested this. A joint state statement was launched in February.
Reducing bureaucracy for Stelzer is “extremely urgent”
Mikl-Leitner called for Europe to reduce bureaucracy in order to maintain competitiveness. The European Union should take care of the big questions and take them back from those areas that can be better regulated in the regions, explained the state governor. From the point of view of Upper Austria’s Governor Thomas Stelzer (ÖVP), de-bureaucratization is also “extremely urgent”. He also brought sunset legislation into play, under which laws would expire if they are not renewed.
Renewable energies were also a topic at the conference. Here the state governors are pushing for an acceleration law so that systems can be built as quickly as possible, said Stelzer.
In a broadcast, Neos asylum and migration spokeswoman Stephanie Krisper called for the implementation of a residency requirement as well as a fairer distribution of those entitled to asylum and an expansion of integration offers and measures in the countries. At the LH conference, the WWF demanded that the federal states say yes to the EU renaturation law.
