The SPÖ Burgenland questions the federal government’s crisis management given the high energy prices. She fears that only large companies will take advantage of the financing options and that the small ones will leave empty-handed.
Is the federal government currently doing a poor job of crisis management? From the point of view of the SPÖ Burgenland, the answer is yes. SPÖ club president Robert Hergovich is convinced that neither inflation nor energy prices should be as high as they are in Austria at the moment. Other countries would show how they can better deal with the challenges. Spain has only half as much inflation as Austria. Germany, on the other hand, makes cheap energy possible for everyone – without such a support system as in this country. “You don’t have to reinvent the wheel,” says Hergovich.
Financing as a “bureaucratic monster”
The federal funding system is a thorn in his side. It’s a “bureaucracy monster” and too difficult for small businesses to understand. The ‘little ones’ in particular are affected by energy prices. However, these companies are run by only a few people – who make up a large part of the Burgenland economy – often do not have the time and resources to handle complex financing applications. “The danger is great that again only the big corporations will benefit, which have entire departments that are only concerned with it,” says the club boss. The maximum funding amount is 150 million euros – from which conclusions can be drawn about the target group.
Money withheld from the federal government is missing from the country
The federal excess profit tax also has drawbacks. The Minister of Finance received 40 million euros from Burgenland. “But only 15 million euros will be returned. The rest seeps into the budget,” says Hergovich angrily. If the entire amount remained in the country, it would be possible to absorb the price increases. The country is raising 40 million euros this year to help people through the crisis. Next year it will probably need the same amount. At some point, however, the financial space will be exhausted. And an increase in taxes on energy producers was blocked by the federal government – an “unfriendly act,” according to Hergovich.
petition is running
“We are doing what is possible. But only the federal government can turn the big wheels,” explains SPÖ spokesman Gerhard Hutter. But all he could do was shake his head at the fact that they’d rather introduce a carbon tax. The SPÖ Burgenland now wants to put pressure on the federal government. There is currently a petition calling for a heat price brake for everyone.
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.
