In this week’s krone.tv conversation with Katia Wagner, the SPÖ meets the opposition on the Wien Energie issue. The views are fundamentally different: while Marcus Schober of the SPÖ makes it clear that the “mayor acted correctly” and that “no personal consequences are needed”, the FPÖ even sees a “blatant abuse of office”…
Accordingly, the head of the Viennese FPÖ, Dominik Nepp, has also filed a criminal complaint against the mayor. “These are a maximum of ten years in prison,” explains Nepp. And further: “Michael Ludwig was the free diver of domestic politics for three days! He shifted money without notifying anyone,” he said, justifying his complaint against the mayor of Vienna.
ÖVP sees ridicule from all taxpayers
Marcus Wölbitsch, the club president of the Viennese ÖVP, follows the same line. Saying everything is fine is to him “a mockery of all taxpayers” because “if something happens, they have to pay for it”. It is striking to him that no other state energy supplier has liquidity problems. “This Friday was just a tsunami for Wien Energie”, Wölbitsch sums up.
Schober (SPÖ): “Nothing postponed, speculated or miscalculated”
Unsurprisingly, Marcus Schober sees things differently. On said Friday “something happened that no one expected”. He is sure that other energy companies could also get into trouble due to price developments in the markets. In any case, “a joint approach should now be at the forefront” instead of pointing the finger. Because: “We will see that the mayor has done nothing wrong. Nothing has been postponed, speculated, obscured or miscalculated”, so he calmly accepts the complaint against Ludwig.
Expert: ‘Such transactions are common in the industry’
The expert in the group, Monika Köppl-Turyna, also paints a differentiated picture. The CEO of EcoAustria does not have “all the information”, but: “This kind of thing is common in the market and industry.” Rather, it is “the opposite of speculation, because you want to offer customers permanent contracts”. Why such high liquidity is suddenly necessary could point to questions in crisis management. But: The money provided by the federal government is a “deposit” and would then be returned when the transaction is completed.
Nepp: ‘First shoot, then call for solidarity’
Both the FPÖ and the ÖVP exclude an alliance with the SPÖ in the field of Wien Energie. Nepp: “Socialism means putting your money in the pocket and then wanting to close ranks.” Wöbitsch (ÖVP) is also only willing to work together to guarantee security of supply. Marcus Schober (SPÖ) also wants to make the federal government responsible and calls for: “Ludwig has taken responsibility in Vienna, take responsibility for that in the federal government.”
Nepp and Kickl have “excellent relationship”
Köppl-Turyna does not see a particularly rosy outlook for the coming months: “Prices will remain high until the spring of 2023.” Apart from inflation, the outlook for the FPÖ is apparently brighter. When asked how the mood is between Dominik Nepp and federal boss Herbert Kickl after the latest turbulence, he says: “We have an excellent relationship.”
The talk with Katia Wagner is available on krone.tv every Wednesday at 8:15 PM. Discuss and vote!
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
