Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s virtual speech in the Austrian parliament, scheduled for March 30, is already causing some domestic political unrest. Because FPÖ boss Herbert Kickl sees it as a “fire of interference against neutrality”, the chairman of the National Council, Wolfgang Sobotka, warned the Blues that he would not accept “verbal attacks” during the speech.
That the FPÖ has sympathy for warlike Russia has not only been official since the Ibiza scandal. But since the invasion of Ukraine, people are not so open about it. However, the planned video broadcast with Zelenskyj in the National Council is now again causing blue outrage.
Kickl locates “breaking taboo”
“Even if we condemn Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine: Austria is constitutionally a neutral state, permanent neutrality is a cornerstone of our self-image, and the speech of a belligerent party representative at the heart of our democracy is an absolute violation of taboo. Kickl complained on Facebook.
Video circuit failed due to FPÖ resistance
A video broadcast with Selenskyj was planned in parliament a year ago, but it ultimately failed due to opposition from the FPÖ. This gave the Ukrainian president the opportunity to appear virtually in numerous Western and European parliaments. Of the 27 EU countries, only Austria and Bulgaria and Hungary have so far failed to offer him a corresponding opportunity. However, Selenskyj will also not speak at a meeting of the National Council, Wolfgang Sobotka has now specified the protocol procedure. Rather, it is a “parliamentary event” leading up to one.
The chairman of the National Council of the ÖVP does not see that the Austrian parliament is behind schedule compared to other Western countries. Finally, the speaker of the Ukrainian parliament, Ruslan Stefantschuk, visited Vienna last June at the invitation of Sobotka and at the time gave a speech in parliament while still in the Hofburg. In addition, Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen (early February) and Chancellor Karl Nehammer (in April last year) personally visited Selenskyj in Kiev. In addition, the Russian offensive war “unfortunately will last even longer,” said the chairman of the National Council. From this point of view, it is even “really good that you don’t do it all at once”.
“Look at the War Soberly”
Especially since it’s time “that we look at this war very soberly”. There are “different assessments, especially when it comes to the people who were practically evicted,” Sobotka said. “Are you going back? Do they stay? There are already many people in the work process that no one wants to lose.”
Russia’s attack on Ukraine violated international law, Sobotka stated, adding: “National sovereignty is non-negotiable.” Austria had therefore shown “very clear solidarity” with Ukraine and, as a neutral state on the line of the European Union, “cut a very good figure”. Postscript: “As a country we are neutral only militarily, but not in attitude.”
Putin will not address Parliament
From a Western perspective, what is needed is “a clear condemnation, a clear European solidarity, a clear commitment to the war crimes being tried by an international court,” Sobotka demanded. In any case, Putin will not get the chance to address the Austrian parliament, even though he hypothetically would like to. “We are not here to fan out the different opinions. We must not distort the facts. There can be no right to speak in the Austrian parliament for someone who approves or perhaps even ordered war crimes.”
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.
