2023-05-12 07:19:57
The SPÖ uses the special session of the National Council that it has requested for an “urgent motion” to implement its concerns about combating inflation. The initiative, first signed by club chairwoman Pamela Rendi-Wagner, demands, among other things, an immediate, temporary suspension of VAT on everyday groceries. Furthermore, the guide value increases are to be withdrawn and all rents are to be frozen until 2025.
After all, the SPÖ wants a “powerful” anti-cost-of-living commission. All this is justified with “exploding” prices. The reason for the “urgent” statement is that inflation is at its highest level in 70 years and is continuing to rise. Throughout the past year, the coalition failed to take any measures to suppress record inflation in Austria. The government has thus “failed”.
The SPÖ had warned about the development of inflation more than a year ago and had repeatedly proposed inflation-dampening measures. However, the ÖVP and the Greens ignored this and instead opted for a short-sighted policy of one-off payments that did not lower a single price. Spending a lot of money that neither arrives where it is intended nor lowers prices is definitely the worst of both worlds.
A government that takes itself even the slightest bit seriously should never allow individual companies to use energy aid to boost their profits, it also denounced. It really cannot be that people pay twice, first a higher price – for food, for example – and then also the energy aid for companies through their taxes and duties.
It would be the task of the Austrian federal government to learn from the best, to adopt a responsible crisis policy and not to stick to a misguided policy just because one does not want to admit one’s own mistakes. In the interests of the people, a change in policy must be initiated in the coming weeks and months, the SPÖ believes. There would be immediate measures that would be quick and easy to implement: from capping rents, to strict price controls by a powerful anti-cost-of-living commission, to an excess profit tax for those companies that do not give people energy cost subsidies in the form of falling prices pass along.
Because of their dissatisfaction with the coalition, the SPÖ will bring a motion of no confidence. The FPÖ also has no trust in the government, which is why they resort to the same parliamentary means. The coalition went from failure through action to failure through omission, explains club boss Herbert Kickl. The ÖVP and the Greens watched and distrusted each other, so that countable results in the fight against the numerous crises were no longer possible. Alleged misconduct from “climate hysteria” and “corona reappraisal” to neutrality and inflation are cited.
The session opened at 9 a.m. and was then adjourned for three hours, as is usual in special sessions with “urgent” subjects. Accordingly, the debate will start at 12 noon.
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