In view of the massive corruption allegations against several ÖVP politicians, the SPÖ is now putting pressure on the government. In the upcoming session of the National Council, they want to table not only a – probably hopeless – motion for new elections, but also their own anti-corruption package. Vice club boss Jörg Leichtfried and court spokeswoman Selma Yildirim announced this at a press conference on Friday. They also want to do something with the Greens.
The special session requested by the SPÖ and FPÖ is not only about the ongoing investigations against the ÖVP, Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) must also submit an urgent application. “Our country has been punished with a number of crises that greatly burden and make people’s lives difficult,” Leichtfried said.
One such crisis is the “democratic crisis” caused by the corruption allegations against the ÖVP, because the People’s Party had decided for itself “that the limit of political responsibility is solely criminal law”.
The only solution for SPÖ are new elections
Morality, decency and responsibility are of course not values for the Christian-social ÖVP. If one were to examine the ten Christian commandments for their criminal liability, one would find that only 2.5 of the ten commandments were punishable, Leichtfried accused the ÖVP of a lack of political responsibility given that one ex-chancellor, five ex- finance ministers, three other ex-ministers and several ÖVP MPs are being investigated for bribery, corruption, breach of trust and incitement to abuse of office. According to Leichtfried, new elections would be the only solution to this problem.
The SPÖ will make a corresponding request during the special session, which will also refer to the inability of the turquoise-green government to act in the energy crisis, Leichtfried said. Leichtfried left it open whether the SPÖ would form a coalition with the ÖVP after the new elections, which it criticized so heavily. This will only be assessed after a possible election.
SPÖ introduces Green proposal
The ÖVP will “not voluntarily leave his position of power”, Yildirim appealed to the Greens: “They should also introduce their measures in parliament”, they urged the implementation of a package of anti-corruption measures – there is a majority in parliament, she said.
The party now wants to lead by example in the upcoming meeting and introduce its own initiative – Yildirim claimed that not only SPÖ positions were formulated. For example, a concrete proposal by the Greens from the Treaty of Austria at the beginning of the 2000s has been included.
Yildirim complains about ÖVP’s “lack of insight”
The proposal also includes the long-promised Freedom of Information Act, the Independent Federal Prosecutor and several transparency laws, such as the Media Transparency Act. Yildirim was angry at the “lack of insight on the part of the ÖVP”, which still believes it has no corruption problem.
In the case of the federal prosecutor’s office, the Greens in particular would have to move, because the ÖVP is completely in line with the SPÖ, explains the MP. This law could be passed this year.
Source: Krone
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