Country chief Drexler: – “The chancellery is sometimes the same as the main post office”

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Styria’s head of state, Christopher Drexler, sees too many aid packages assembled at Ballhausplatz. But he also dislikes Thomas Stelzer’s criticism of sanctions against Russia.

As governor, Christopher Drexler is still a “freshman.” He’s only been in office for eight weeks. The interview about sanctions, inflation and the ÖVP.

“crown”: The whole of Austria is amazed that a mayor like Michael Ludwig has so much power to dispose of 1.4 billion euros of taxpayers’ money overnight. Does the Styrian constitution also give you such power?
Christopher Drexler: Emergency decisions are possible, but not beyond the state parliament, and certainly not for a case like the current one in Vienna. I am amazed at the nonchalance of the people, this special kind of lightness displayed in the federal capital.

Electricity prices have doubled. How afraid are you of the winter?
Great care is in order. Unfortunately not only because of the exploding energy costs for private households, but also for the economy – in addition to industry, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises. Many of them would be happy if the cost were just doubling. Many expect significantly higher inflation.

How high?
With a multiplication.

Is the government already negotiating the electricity price brake for companies?
She is the need of the hour. The economy also needs the electricity price brake. There are probably considerations – and I will raise the subject clearly in discussions with the federal government.

Are the various government packages of measures, such as the climate bonus, useful? The analysis of the Corona aid has shown that too much has been distributed inefficiently among the wrong people with the watering can principle.
Special times call for special measures. You are always smarter afterwards, but you should not complain about the Corona help with the Beckmesser. It is important to learn from the mistakes and that in normal times this package policy will be discontinued. The chancellery sometimes resembles the main post office – that’s where so many packages are put together.

Another problem of the crisis: the number of asylum seekers is again increasing significantly, all kinds of things are happening in the federal asylum centers, in a center in Styria 266 asylum seekers have recently disappeared without a trace. Is the Home Secretary in control?
I am very concerned about the migration flows, 2015 should not be repeated. But I am optimistic, because the Ministry of the Interior is in good hands with Gerhard Karner. Basically any reasonable person claims that anyone who is actually persecuted or threatened must find a safe haven. But there is no reason why anyone can choose a safe haven. Above all, the European discussion needs to be moved.

With the exception of an interlude in the time of Herbert Kickl of the FPÖ, the Ministry of the Interior has been in the hands of the ÖVP for more than 20 years. We always hear the same sentences, but the situation has not changed. The ÖVP apparently failed here.
No, the ÖVP has not failed at all in asylum policy. At the municipal, state and federal level, we will do everything we can to stop a similar development as in 2015.

Let’s stick with the ÖVP: Governor Thomas Stelzer recently said sanctions against Russia should be reconsidered. Is the ÖVP divided on this issue?
I don’t think Thomas Stelzer’s formulations are happy. It is not advisable to turn the local political change into such a dramatic global political issue. This is not good for Austria. The sanctions could end tomorrow if Putin ends his criminal war of aggression immediately.

In an interview, Wolfgang Sobotka spoke of a campaign of destruction against the ÖVP and that the conditions under which Sebastian Kurz had to give way were questionable. Isn’t that a very one-sided view of things?
I see it a little more relaxed than Sobotka. It is not surprising that the opposition is working on the ÖVP, because the majority of the ÖVP bear responsibility in the municipalities, in the federal states and also in the federal government. The opposition will not be ashamed of splinter groups with seven or eight percent. In this regard, you also need a certain capacity for suffering.

So no campaign and no conspiracy.
I am very skeptical of all conspiracies. It is of course remarkable with what zeal one shoots at the ÖVP. When you talk about the U-committee, the mere fact that parliamentary jokes call this U-committee the ÖVP U-committee implies that it’s not about research, it’s about craziness. I would now be interested in another subcommittee: How can an energy supplier like Wien Energie get into such a difficult situation that you have to request billions in the weekend mood?

Making this issue a U-committee in parliament won’t work because it’s not the responsibility of the federal government.
I am therefore pleased that the Court of Auditors is addressing this issue. And when the report is there, a parliamentary debate can already take place. Anything else would surprise me.

Shouldn’t there be solidarity in the crisis instead of blaming?
The whole of politics is in a deep crisis of confidence. A new political culture is needed – a culture of trusting cooperation. If I tend to give up when I hear a debate in Parliament, I don’t want to know how the Austrians are doing.

Sebastian Kurz has a lot of responsibility for this atmosphere. He didn’t like the SPÖ, he liked to ignore parliament.
His deep skepticism about cooperation with the SPÖ was a mistake. Point. I am convinced that large coalitions can develop far more creative power than is given to them. Kurz did not invent this political vote. The cooperation has been less than ideal since 2006 because it was based on a deep mutual mistrust. That must be overcome. The Styrian way shows that a grand coalition can be successful.

Is Karl Nehammer the next top candidate?
I take it for sure. The rumors were an alien-induced storm in a teacup.

When you handed over your office, Hermann Schützenhöfer left you with a PR disaster when he told you to work on your popularity. Are you still mad at him?
I have never been angry with Hermann Schützenhöfer in my life. I know what he meant. I have been working on it intensively since June 3.

Source: Krone

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