Criticism from the SPÖ and FPÖ – Brunner: heating costs must come quickly

Nehammer explained on Friday that the target audience was low incomes, families and the middle class. The states have to take care of the processing and criteria, the money comes from the federal government. The housing and heating subsidy must yield households between 200 and 400 euros. A corresponding model would be presented before Christmas, it said.

“The Chancellor has instructed me to present a model by the end of the year,” Brunner said in a written statement to APA on Saturday. It is planned that the federal government will provide the states with a special grant so that they can expand their subsidies for heating costs.

“More sensible” than the German gas price ceiling
“I think that is the wiser option than the German gas price cap,” said the finance minister. Because it is important that there are no restrictions on the form of gas heating, because other energy sources have also become more expensive. Moreover, this is also in line with the countries’ wish for a quick solution.

Given the different forms of heating in Austria, a gas price cap for households “makes no sense” for Brunner. The Minister of Finance referred to the differences with Germany in this regard. Half of the households there heat with gas. In almost every federal state, natural gas is the most common form of heating.

In Austria, on the other hand, only 23 percent heat with gas, although there are strong regional differences. The share of gas heating systems in Vienna is 49 percent, while in Carinthia it is only three percent. And for electricity customers, the electricity price brake has already been introduced, which yields about 500 euros per year, Brunner emphasized.

On the issue of a gas price brake based on the German model, Nehammer explained on Saturday that they were waiting for a concrete model in the neighboring country. “If Germany creates competitive advantages for German companies and industry and that is compatible with EU law, then of course we must also ensure that our companies are not disadvantaged,” the Chancellor stressed in the Ö1 “Morgenjournal”.

Rendi-Wagner calls for gas price caps
SPÖ president Pamela Rendi-Wagner acknowledged that the government took another measure with the extension of the subsidy for housing and heating costs, but at the same time criticized in the “Journal zu Gast” on Ö1 that this was again a one-off , provide aid on short-term. According to them, a permanent price reduction would be necessary. She therefore again pressed for the introduction of a gas price cap, which would be an inflation-dampening measure and permanently lower prices. The government’s one-off payments would not have this effect and would leave a mountain of debt for the next generation to pay.

The FPÖ also criticized the measure. Social spokeswoman Dagmar Belakowitsch considers the announced settlement of the countries a “dangerous threat”. She also advocates price reductions instead of one-off payments. The FPÖ is planning tax cuts or even tax cuts.

Caritas was delighted with the rental and heating costs
Caritas, on the other hand, welcomes the planned additional housing and heating subsidies. He considers the announced 500 million euros for people in difficult circumstances “a good suggestion that I strongly support,” said Caritas chairman Michael Landau, according to Kathpress. Fast, additional and targeted support can be an “effective relief” in the current situation. Landau considers the planned processing via the Länder a “smart approach”, especially because the Länder have the necessary structure and experience for this.