“Before the Summer” – “Kreisky-Plan”: SPÖ veteran reprimands high politics

After the party conferences of the ÖVP, the SPÖ Burgenland and the FPÖ Styria, daily political life seems to be returning to Austria. Only SPÖ veteran Hannes Androsch warns against further paralysis: “We have to recognize that these crises, from Covid to the war in Ukraine, are costing us prosperity. We cannot ignore it, we can only try to mitigate the impact, at least for the people with the lowest incomes.”

“Not with the watering can”
However, this must be done very accurately and “not with a watering can”. In other words: help for the poorest. In addition, the ex-politician, who is now a very successful entrepreneur, advocates promoting educational measures and ensuring as much investment as possible.

Androsch is pragmatic about the effects of the energy crisis: “We must use all technological possibilities and not fall in love with a dream castle. It is crucial that something happens: that hydropower is further expanded, that wind and solar energy systems are given a boost, that the pipeline network is expanded and secured and that natural gas is not completely rejected.” a bridging measure may be necessary for some time. Sharp criticism comes from Androsch on another topic: “You cannot complain about hunger in the world and at the same time turn grain into fuel”.

“It’s too late for that in the fall”
And, despite his 84 years, Androsch advises politicians to “increase the pace”: “Now a program for the economy must be drawn up before the summer, by the autumn it will be too late for that!” Bruno Kreisky, for example, is said to have started his successful political positioning with him on a comprehensive economic plan in which thousands of experts are said to have participated. Androsch: “That’s exactly what we need now. Doing instead of talking should be the motto!”