There is still no date for the swearing in of the appointed Minister of Agriculture Norbert Totschnig (ÖVP) – because the Tyrolean is still positive, but has “no symptoms”. Totschnig was unable to attend the ceremony in the Hofburg last Wednesday due to the corona infection. From a contemporary perspective, it is still unclear when his swearing in by Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen can be made good.
The swearing-in was originally scheduled for Wednesday morning. Shortly before he started, the 47-year-old director of the East Tyrol farmers’ association tested positive for the corona virus with an antigen test. Last week, Van der Bellen was only able to appoint Labor Minister Martin Kocher as Minister of Economic Affairs, State Secretary Digital Florian Tursky and State Secretary for Tourism Susanne Kraus-Winkler (all ÖVP).
Agriculture Minister Elisabeth Köstinger (ÖVP) must remain in office until Totschnig is sworn in. Her resignation and that of the Minister of Economic Affairs Margarete Schramböck (ÖVP) made castling necessary. The tasks of the ministries were immediately redistributed: the agricultural department loses the telecom agenda to the Ministry of Finance, tourism to the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the civil service to the youth secretariat. The Ministry of Economy will transfer the digital area to the Ministry of Finance and the rest will be merged with the Ministry of Labor.
Source: Krone
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