Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP) has criticized Italy for suing Austria over the transit issue at EU level. “The lawsuit is definitely the wrong path,” Schallenberg said on Saturday on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference in Italian Transport Minister Matteo Salvini’s speech.
At the same time, he emphasized Austria’s continued willingness to engage in dialogue in the conflict. Schallenberg spoke of an extraordinary burden for Tyrol during the Alpine transit: the state has to deal with more than all other border crossings combined.
“Can’t continue like this”
“If trucks make hundreds of kilometers of detours because Tyrol is simply cheaper than Swiss passports,” one cannot say, “this should continue,” even against the background of sustainability and climate considerations.
On Thursday, Italy sent an already decided lawsuit to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) over Tyrolean measures to curb and channel road transit traffic to the European Commission and called on the Brussels authority to initiate EU infringement proceedings against Austria to start. The federal government sees Austria on the right.
Three month deadline
The European Commission now has three months to decide on an infringement procedure against Austria or to issue an opinion. In the event of infringement proceedings, Austria will be given the opportunity to comment. The states involved may provide written and oral comments in a hearing procedure. If the European Commission does not make a statement within three months or refrain from filing a lawsuit, Italy itself can take legal action directly before the Court of Justice.
Lock system requires a state contract
Last April, the state leaders of Bavaria, Tyrol and South Tyrol – Markus Söder (CSU), Anton Mattle (ÖVP) and Arno Kompatscher (SVP) – presented a “lock system” to the public in Kufstein. For such digital, cross-border traffic management, an international treaty would have to be concluded between Austria, Germany and Italy. In Munich, Schallenberg also discussed the transit issue, which affects Germany as a source or destination country no less than Italy, with Bavarian Prime Minister Söder and the German opposition leader, CDU leader Friedrich Merz.
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.
