Not every department necessarily gets what it wants from the budget cake at the start of budget negotiations. As reported, the turquoise-green coalition focuses on the areas of healthcare/health, security, climate and, most recently, science for the period 2024-2027. While the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has to tighten its belt, the Green ministries are happy with above-average growth.
There is a 15 percent increase in the judiciary and an eleven percent increase in climate protection, as they happily emphasized. Department head Leonore Gewessler only had to say goodbye to the mandatory replacement of fossil heating systems on Tuesday. But in return she can claim more eco-subsidies and the free climate ticket for all 18-year-olds.
Kogler: “Towards a livable future”
At the budget presentation by Finance Minister Magnus Brunner (ÖVP) on Wednesday, Werner Kogler, leader of the Green Party and Vice Chancellor, highlighted the investments in the renewable heat package, the accelerated expansion of renewable energy, the abolition of VAT on photovoltaic systems and the planned advancement of public construction projects. All this also stimulates the economy. His conclusion: “In this way we pave the way to economic recovery and a future worth living.”
Justice Minister Alma Zadić emphasized that the judiciary now has significantly more budgetary resources after warnings about its “silent death”. With 135 new positions for 2024, there will be an increase of a total of 650 positions since the start of the legislature. What is new is that twenty legal assistants and twenty process managers are now planned to support the judges in their work. Zadić considers it a further success that EUR 70 million is now available for a new structure for the reimbursement of defense costs in the event of acquittals and dismissals in criminal proceedings.
Minister of Health and Social Affairs Johannes Rauch also welcomed an increase in his department budget by almost 18 percent. An increase from 3.9 to 25.8 billion euros is planned next year for social affairs, health care, care and consumer protection. €2.7 billion has been budgeted for the pension increase. Expenditure on healthcare will increase by approximately one billion euros, and expenditure on healthcare by more than 400 million euros. 630 million euros will be saved for Corona measures. A further €362 million has been earmarked for the fight against poverty and other social priorities.
The culture department is also happy with the increase
The green cultural department will also receive more financial resources. The art and culture budget increases for the fourth time in a row: from 620.2 million euros by 48.6 million euros or 7.8 percent to 668.8 million euros. According to information from the State Secretariat for Culture, 23.6 million of the additional resources are intended to compensate for inflation. A further EUR 24.4 million has been budgeted for the ÖFI+ film incentive model. Because a number of budget items are being deleted, there will also be an increase in financing from the Federal Monuments Office by six million euros. More money must also be available in 2025.
For State Secretary for Culture Andrea Mayer, the increase in the budget for arts and culture represents a clear commitment to such an important area of society. “With this increase, we can, on the one hand, meet the current challenges: keyword inflation – and on the other hand, focus on priorities such as fair pay or the film incentive model, whereby new emphasis is also placed, such as at the House of History,” the State Secretary said on Wednesday. pleased.
Schallenberg’s shrinking budget
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs must tighten its belt. Alexander Schallenberg’s department will only receive more money next year, and from 2025 the budget will shrink, despite growing tasks – for example by opening a new embassy in Africa or by caring for new Austrians abroad, including thousands of descendants of Nazi victims.
This means that the BMEIA will have 677.2 million euros available next year, 6.6 percent or 41.7 million euros more than in the 2023 budget. However, this will gradually decrease in the coming years (2025: 642.9 million, 2026: 630, 5 million and 2027: 609.8 million). million). This makes the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the only Ministry of Security that will have to make do with less money in four years than is currently the case. In concrete terms, in 2027 it will be 25.7 million euros less in absolute numbers than this year (635.5 million euros). If you take inflation into account (12.2 percent in 2027), this means that the department will have to consolidate in the three-digit million range from 2025 onwards.
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.
