Schallenberg: Foreign policy budget increases for the fourth time in a row

2023-11-22 00:18:46

The National Council deals with the external budget chapter

Vienna (PK) – The budget for foreign affairs, which will be presented at the end of today’s plenary session National Council was under discussion, should amount to €677.2 million next year. This is expected to increase by €41.7 million or 6.6% compared to 2023. The planned deposits remain unchanged compared to 2023 at €6.4 million.

The Budget 2024 provides additional funds for operating expenses such as cost-of-living adjustments, the ongoing operation of the embassies and for conference activities (+ €23.4 million). The budget should also increase for personnel (+ €16.4 million) and investments (+ €4.3 million), for example for buildings abroad. Transfer payments are expected to decrease slightly by €2.4 million, although funds for development aid will still increase by €2 million and for the foreign disaster fund by €2.5 million. Contributions to international organizations will fall by €8.8 million compared to 2023. This will be negotiated with the draft budget Federal financial framework 2024-2027.

Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg particularly emphasized the funds for consular services and other services in his department, but also for humanitarian aid. He listed the opening of an Austrian embassy in Ghana as one of the important projects for the coming year.

During the debate, the Freedom Party tabled two motions for resolutions on Austrian funds for development aid. The SPÖ makes demands on the government regarding funds for peace work. The proposals will be voted on along with the draft budget on Thursday evening.

Schallenberg and coalition pleased with budget increase

Schallenberg was convinced that investments in security are particularly important at a time when Austria and Europe are surrounded by a “veritable ring of fire” of wars and conflicts. Because this security does not begin at the national borders, the Foreign Ministry is, in a sense, a security ministry, he said. He is therefore happy that the budget for the external affairs department has increased for the fourth time in a row since the beginning of his term in office. The total of €677.2 million was money well invested. Because of the consular services, his department is the “first aid point” for Austrians abroad. However, the services provided by the Foreign Ministry would go beyond this, emphasized Schallenberg, citing the “ReFocus Austria” program to support the domestic export industry and the processing of applications for the restoration of Austrian citizenship for descendants of Nazi victims as key projects. Strengthening the official headquarters in Vienna as a meeting place is also important. He was also pleased that funding for development cooperation and the foreign disaster fund had been increased. Because relations with African countries would be very important in the future, the Foreign Minister also highlighted the planned opening of an embassy in Ghana, which is budgeted with €3 million in start-up funding.

Reinhold Lopatka (ÖVP) was particularly pleased about the opening of this embassy. In his opinion, the main task of the department is to represent Austria’s interests in Europe and the world in the best possible way. It is also important to strengthen the official headquarters in Vienna and provide development aid. In view of these many and large tasks, one can say with a clear conscience that every cent was well spent in the current budget draft, said Lopatka. Bettina Rausch-Amon (ÖVP) also found it a good sign that funding for foreign policy was being increased, given the numerous crises and wars. In her view, special attention is needed for the “opportunity continent of Africa”. In addition to the opening of the embassy in Ghana, which she described as a milestone, Rausch-Amon also cited an Africa strategy to be presented in 2024. Andreas Minnich and Martin Engelberg (both ÖVP) found words of praise for the Austrian representation authorities abroad. Engelberg particularly highlighted the granting of Austrian citizenship to descendants of Nazi victims, so-called “re-Austrians,” as a successful program.

Ewa Ernst-Dziedzic (Greens) was convinced that, in view of the “ring of fire” of wars and conflicts mentioned by the Foreign Minister, international cooperation should be relied upon. Funds earmarked in the budget for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), UN Women, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the International Criminal Court are necessary and would form the basis for peace to continue to reign in Europe and Austria in the future. Michel Reimon (Greens) used the “last budget meeting of this coalition” to take stock of Austria’s funds for development cooperation (EZA). At the beginning of the legislative period, he set himself the goal of achieving at least half of the UN target of 0.7% of gross national income in terms of the EZA funding quota. This was achieved with this year’s rate of 0.39%. Reimon also said it was positive that the foreign disaster fund could be increased from €15 million initially to €80 million in the future.

Opposition criticizes draft budget

Christoph Matznetter (SPÖ) saw it differently. He described the fact that Austria was moving away from the 0.7% target in terms of funding for development aid instead of getting closer to it as a “disgrace”. Like his parliamentary group colleagues Harald Troch and Muna Duzdar, he also criticized Austria’s voting behavior on the UN resolution on the situation in the Middle East. Overall, the ÖVP would increasingly isolate Austria through “incomprehensible actions” in foreign policy, said Troch and Duzdar. Petra Bayr (SPÖ) campaigned for more active peace work. Because the equal rights and participation of women also benefit peace, it is important to include them in peace processes. But peace work also needs money, says Bayr. She therefore tabled a motion for a resolution calling for €500 million for sustainable and gender-equitable peace work.

The FPÖ particularly criticized the Austrian funds for development aid. Axel Kassegger (FPÖ) emphasized that it was Austrian tax money that had to be allocated according to certain criteria. He therefore tabled a motion for a resolution with which his group calls for a fundamental reform of Austrian development aid that should follow seven principles. For example, the funds would have to be adapted to the economic situation in Austria and allocated in a targeted manner. A condition must also be that the recipient countries take back migrants who have come to Austria illegally. Martin Graf (FPÖ) was also dissatisfied with the allocation of development aid, specifically to Afghanistan. He wants to use a motion for a resolution to call on the government to immediately stop all financial contributions from Austria to Afghanistan.

Helmut Brandstätter said of the NEOS that it was a “proper budget”, but that there was no increase in relation to the inflation rate. This is a shame, especially at times when diplomacy is particularly in demand. He criticized Austria’s stance on Romania and Bulgaria’s accession to Schengen. (End of National Council) kar

NOTES: Meetings of the National Council and the Federal Council can also be followed via live stream and are available as video-on-demand in the Parliament’s media library available.

The Parliamentary Budget Service offers economic analyzes of budget policy and templates from the Federal Ministry of Finance.

This provides details on the 2024 budget, the changes to previous years and the development of ongoing budget implementation interactive visualization tool of the budget service. There you will receive a quick and transparent overview of relevant budget data.

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