There is no more time for study groups. Decisions must be made on Monday at the price summit with the government.
Monday is the day of reckoning. Eis ÖGB, Caritas, opposition, economic researchers. Poverty gallops on the back of rampant inflation. The government wants to tackle this with one-off payments from watering cans, but they die like snow in an oven. Apropos: Besides heating, the financing of housing and food are central problems. 1.5 million people are affected or at risk of poverty. It can’t go on like this. That is what trade union experts say to Wifo.
Price cap or French solution?
You are present at the food price summit with Minister of Social Affairs Johannes Rauch (Greens). As well as representatives, trade union, Minister of Trade and Finance Magnus Brunner (ÖVP). He is against price ceilings and thus causes misunderstanding among the Greens, the opposition, Wifo boss Gabriel Felbermayr and the union. Brunner wants a French solution. There, the big food companies could be persuaded to forego a quarter of price increases.
Minister of Agriculture defends farmers
For the SPÖ, this is another diversionary tactic. Interventions such as the suspension of VAT on basic foodstuffs, rent brakes, an anti-inflation commission are finally needed. Agriculture Minister Norbert Totschnig (ÖVP) also contacted the “Krone”. He fears that farmers could fall victim to the debate. “While agricultural producer prices worldwide have been falling for months, you hardly notice this in the supermarket. What is needed now is price transparency.” Union members Wolfgang Katzian and IHS boss Klaus Neusser also demand this. “For a shopping cart, purchase and sale prices must be collected.”
Totschnig is present at the summit, but not the representatives of the 2.3 million pensioners. Ingrid Korosec and Peter Kostelka are outraged: “Especially because it has been proven that many of those affected are older.” Turbulent days for the government. Especially since the powerful Katzian also announced on Monday that he wanted to concretize his views. That sounds like trouble. Maybe it needs it to make something happen.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
