Differences in SPÖ – Doskozil warns: “The polls should wake you up”

Burgenland is shocked by the violent death of a 42-year-old father in a fight in front of a nightclub in Schattendorf. Two young men are trapped. One suspect is an 18-year-old Syrian. He came to Austria with his parents during the refugee crisis in 2015. “No one can estimate what that means for the children and the woman,” says governor Hans Peter Doskozil in an interview with “Krone” following the fatal accident.

Burgenland particularly affected by illegal migration
Doskozil’s fifth larynx operation did not take away his lead. The SPÖ politician is seen as a representative of a clear asylum policy. Burgenland is particularly affected by illegal migration. Doskozi does not want to fan the heated atmosphere.

“The dead man was an employee of a state owned subsidiary. A responsible politician should say nothing before saying something emotional or wrong.” The governor remains objective and resolute: “We have more arrests than in 2015. There are also supply problems and tents. The situation is dramatic and will probably get worse next year.”

‘The veto is a PR stunt’
The image that Europe presents does not lend itself to containment. “You have a 90% chance that you can stay, even if you get negative answers. We can talk about Schengen all we want.” Doskozil finally calls for external border controls. Process centers towards Turkey. If Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) had combined this demand with the veto against the extension of Schengen to Romania and Bulgaria, “we would have welcomed. But that is just a PR stunt.”

The government should have sought strategic partners in advance. Doskozil believes that now would have been an opportunity, the Hungarians would have been there when the Romanians and Bulgarians were called upon to establish processing centers. Until recently, top officials would have approved the extension of Schengen to Bulgaria and Romania. Suddenly there was communication professional Gerald Fleischmann (former confidant of ex-chancellor Sebastian Kurz, note), and everything was different. “And suddenly the veto comes.”

Doskozil also sees the current Interior Ministry campaign titled “Operation Fox” as a PR campaign – Austrian police officers working with Hungarian colleagues on Hungarian territory. This is to prevent smuggling and illegal migration beyond the Austrian borders. Doskozil: “These partnerships have been around for a long time. This is an old bride in new clothes.”

SPÖ did not agree with the asylum issue
The SPÖ is accused of disagreement over the asylum issue. “The governor of Carinthia, Peter Kaiser, and I have drawn up a joint position. You could do that. But a piece of paper is not enough. Everyone must also support it.” It’s about conveying values ​​and acquiring language, so the red is in line with the blacks or turquoises.

The tricky polls
In polls, the SPÖ, with Pamela Rendi-Wagner at the top, has fallen behind Herbert Kickl’s FPÖ. With top candidate Doskozil, The Reds would be number 1, polls also show. In addition, state manager Roland Fürst praised Doskozil in a “Kurier” interview as one of the greatest Social Democratic political talents since Bruno Kreisky. Fürst also called for a member vote on the top spot issue.

Differences with Rendi-Wagner
Doskozil says smugly that Fürst is a good friend, which is probably why he said that. Who should lead the party in the next elections is secondary, says the governor, who does not necessarily have a close friendship with comrade Rendi-Wagner. “But the polls should wake you up. We have to aim for first place and not sit back and be content with second or third place. The foundations would be laid for social democracy, for example with the theme of inflation.”

Doskozil increases the allowances in Burgenland in the state service for everyone by 300 euros gross. For minimum wages, that means 2000 net. “That’s 20 percent more for these people, and one percent more for top earners. That’s what I call social justice.”

But there is no unity in the SPÖ. It doesn’t matter whether it’s the salary issue or Schenbeim the asylum issue. Or the Schengen veto – Rendi-Wagner spoke out for it and was reprimanded by Vienna’s mayor Michael Ludwig. But it doesn’t matter if it’s asylum, veto or pay: “Unfortunately, in the party we find lines that cannot be united in certain areas that would be necessary”.