Herbert Kickl wants to protect Austria against a “migration of peoples” to which the Ministry of the Interior capitulates. To this end, during a local inspection at the Burgenland border crossing near Nickelsdorf, the FPÖ chairman demanded Austria’s own catalog of fundamental rights, which should come into play instead of the European Convention on Human Rights. This demand was supported by the blue regional leaders from Lower Austria and Burgenland. ÖVP politicians had previously shaken up the human rights convention.
Kickl justified the unusual location of his press conference, held in an inn, as “one of the hot spots of current asylum policy”. The FPÖ leader had previously exchanged views with local officials. The suffering of the police officers is great given the increasing number of refugees and the shortage of personnel, “because they are left in the rain by their leadership in the Interior Ministry”.
In terms of content, Kickl reinforced the liberal positions and asked himself what had happened to the measures taken by the government in response to the crisis year of 2015 to achieve a sustainable reduction in the refugee flow. These were just a “calming pill” for the angry populace at the time. In addition, the party leader believes that the aim was to slow down and stop the rise and growth of the FPÖ.
Swipe to the EU: “We must protect ourselves”
Those who want to protect the population against – as Kickl put it – “migration of peoples” should not count on the EU, but: “We must protect ourselves”. border guard fences and “exit centers” with no possibility at all to apply for asylum in Austria. Kickl referred to such initiatives during his tenure as interior minister.
Own catalog of fundamental rights instead of “arbitrariness” of the EU
Kickl also again criticized the treatment of the European Convention on Human Rights – recently several ÖVP representatives had shook it up. His suggestion: Austria’s own catalog of fundamental rights should instead take effect on the federal territory to remove the “arbitrariness” of European law. The FPÖ leader can also well imagine that a national variant could also have enshrined the “ban on compulsory vaccinations” or the “right to home”.
Schützenhilfe from Lower Austria and Burgenland
“If you want to explore a river, you have to go to its source,” said Lower Austria’s FPÖ leader Udo Landbauer, explaining his journey across the border. As far as he is concerned, the provincial governors should be accountable when it comes to the asylum problem. Unfortunately, the governor of Burgenland, Hans Peter Doskozil (SPÖ), is just a dog that barks but doesn’t bite. The Lower Austrian ÖVP, where a number of interior ministers come from, is responsible for the “failure” of asylum policy.
Burgenland’s FPÖ leader Alexander Petschnig not only saw the police and army heavily burdened near the border crossing, but also the population. It used to be normal to leave the door open when you left the house. “Since 2015 it’s definitely different.” No change is expected from Governor Doskozil either. This only mimics the hardliner, but does not behave like it, Petschnig also criticized.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
