Hans Peter Doskozil: – “Political damage has been done to the SPÖ”

He always openly formulates what does not suit him at the moment. Whether it’s SPÖ boss Pamela Rendi-Wagner, the SPÖ Vienna or the ÖGB. Burgenland’s governor goes his own way.

„krone“: Burgenland’s budget is 1.4 billion euros. That is exactly the amount that the red mayor of Vienna has secretly made available to Wien Energie. Is that the experienced transparency in the SPÖ?
Hans Peter Doskozil: I do not want to go into the procedure in Vienna now. But I want to say one thing: in Burgenland this is not possible. As an owner, you need to practice your skills. You have a responsibility to place the right experts in the right places. One can no longer afford to take care of civil servants. That’s not okay. There is too much responsibility towards the taxpayer and the situation.

Energie Burgenland therefore does not carry out forward transactions.
We do not sell our electricity through the stock exchange, but directly to wholesalers. Partly to national, but also international electricity companies. The business also needs to be secured. But that’s a basic security that doesn’t depend on stock prices. We made this decision 1.5 years ago. It is now bearing fruit.

If you criticize the SPÖ Vienna’s personnel policy, are you surprised that there are no consequences?
There is an audit by the Court of Auditors to clarify: what is really behind it? What kind of deals have been made? When the report is ready, it’s time for consequences. But the political damage has, of course, been done to Social Democracy – you have to be honest. Also considering that prices and fees are rising. Our approach in Burgenland has also enabled us not to increase electricity prices for residential customers so far. We are at 14 cents per kilowatt hour.

Archery or the watering can principle is the big debate when it comes to aid. what do you prefer?
The electricity brake is okay. I heard you couldn’t have organized social tiering because you can’t do it quickly. I have to be honest: I’ve never heard such nonsense. In Burgenland we have a climate and social fund that is socially classified.

Burgenland has only 300,000 inhabitants, Austria about nine million. The effort is greater there and there are many energy suppliers.
This is carried out with five employees. The federal government has the tools for employee tax assessments, they know who earns what at the push of a button in the Ministry of Finance. We do the social graduation ceremony for 30,000 households with applications. And I wonder what will happen to the economy? I find it strange that the Economic Party has not yet become active here. This could be arranged through OMV. Gas trading must be regulated by the state.

OMV is a limited liability company and is subject to company law. How should this work?
When it comes to providing services of general interest, the state has to perform its duties, which are also defined in terms of powers. In the past it was the biggest nonsense to privatize OMV. We have the United Arab Emirates with almost 25 percent. If OMV were 100 percent state-owned, it would be much easier for us to put a brake on gas prices. Now the federal government would have to step in legally — and that’s where it gets tough. We have a company in the south of Burgenland, Lenzing, which now has short-time working and needs to reduce the lines. This is an international group. If that location goes off the market, even if only temporarily, another producer fills the gap and they don’t come back to the market. I don’t understand why a business party like the ÖVP doesn’t see that.

There is a lot of talk about help, but never about giving up. Is that a word that a politician in a consumer society does not want to say?
I do believe that we communicate clearly what is going on. I do that internally. I speak my mind and you have to tell the truth to the public. We’ll get the gas supplies until May. With the savings potential, it could even last until June. But who can say how we will fill the gas storage tanks for the coming winter next year? I can’t answer it. No one can answer it. You have to say that openly and honestly.

The ÖGB has now demanded a gross minimum wage of 2,000 euros. You have introduced a net minimum wage of 1700 euros at the state-owned enterprises in Burgenland. Is the ÖGB heading in the right direction?
Due to the valorisation, we are now already at 1,820 euros in Burgenland. Gross is around 2500 euros. We established this topic in 2019, there was no crisis situation, there were no price increases, the situation was completely different. In 2019 we estimated the situation in such a way that it is fair that someone who works – whatever he does – earns at least 10 euros net per hour.

So you are disappointed with the 2000 euros gross?
This is disappointing for me personally. I had expected in 2019 that the union would participate in a net amount of 1,700 euros. But god, I didn’t expect that with 2000 euros gross, that’s around 1530 net, that’s the answer to the price increase. That wouldn’t have been the right answer even in 2019.

Criticism of the climate bonus for asylum seekers comes from the ÖVP. Should a Hans Peter Doskozil actually support that?
I think that’s funny because the ÖVP decided that together with the Greens. Now you are suddenly against it. Anyway, I don’t think it’s the right approach. An asylum seeker who is in basic care and who is not responsible for the electricity costs, should also not receive a climate bonus.

We are at the Neusiedler See, where the water level is falling. A feeding line has been discussed since 2003. The SPÖ was always at the helm. Why has nothing happened?
With a supply line via the Moson-Danube, we are determined externally to a certain extent. There are talks with Hungary this year to find a solution. But that is not the ideal solution for me, because then we are dependent on Hungary. That is why there is now also a variant related to the construction of the new energy storage, for which a gas pipeline to Schwechat is being laid. It would be possible to build a supply line from the Danube to Lake Neusiedler. We therefore go for both variants.