In an interview for the Sunday “Krone”, Herbert Kickl sharply criticized the premature tender of the entire board of directors of the Austrian National Bank. This is “pure haggling by post,” the FPÖ leader said.
As reported, the General Board of the Austrian National Bank (OeNB) announced on Thursday that the positions for the board of directors would be announced next Saturday and only at the end of the year. The turquoise green government apparently wanted to decide on the personnel itself before the elections. Governor Robert Holzmann, who will be in office until August 2025, confirmed this on Friday but declined to comment.
“The government is trying to quickly embed itself in the system”
The management structure of the National Bank is always designed in such a way that the relevant government exercises the right to participate, Kickl explains in an interview with Conny Bischofberger. Now the two ruling parties, “along with a pseudo-opposition stirrup, will quickly entrench themselves in the system before they are threatened with a huge loss of power in the coming elections.” But that does not surprise him, because in 2017 a ‘certain Mr. Wolfgang Sobotka’ gave all the directors of the state police the necessary extensions a few months before the elections.
Is this a coup? Kickl’s response: “That’s more like a boomerang that will fly on her head.” Asked about current Governor Robert Holzmann, Kickl declined to comment on a possible new application. “This is his personal matter.” Holzmann did his job well and met the selection criteria at the time. Now they just said you had to be black, green or red.
Will ‘Turbo European’ succeed Othmar Karas?
Regarding the rumor that the current First Vice President of the European Parliament, Othmar Karas, could move to the National Bank as governor, Kickl said that this “turbo-European” would certainly implement everything that the people in the European Central Bank wanted (Note: the boss of the ECB is a woman).
According to a survey by the daily newspaper Heute, Kickl leads with a lead of 9 percent and is at 30 percent, followed by the ÖVP and SPÖ (21 percent each), the Greens and Neos with 8 percent. According to “Unique Research,” a coalition of four would be needed for a coalition to get past the FPÖ. Accordingly, Austria would face a seven-party parliament, and the Beer Party (with 7 percent) and the KPÖ (with 5 percent) would also find themselves in the National Council.
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.
