SPÖ leader Andreas Babler commented on the espionage affair surrounding ex-agent Egisto Ott on Thursday evening in “ZiB 2”. The secret service must be democratically controlled. For example, it is conceivable to set up a commission that would have already thoroughly investigated the terrorist attacks in Vienna.
What is happening right now is a “tragedy”. In this case the structures had “completely failed” and now no one wants to take responsibility in the espionage affair. In Austria this is part of the political culture. According to Babler, the SPÖ itself had no contact with Ott. The ÖVP introduced him as an agent. Overall, the SPÖ leader already considers espionage to be a major problem, and there could also be economic and industrial espionage.
Neither plan nor strategy
When it comes to industrial policy, Babler accused the government on Thursday of having neither a plan nor a long-term strategy. If Austria does not meet its climate targets by 2030, it risks a fine of 4.7 billion euros. To ensure that the economy is positioned differently in a few years and produces less CO₂, the SPÖ proposes a climate transformation fund. Over a period of ten years, 20 billion euros will flow to start-ups in the field of climate and energy transition. This would create “sustainable” jobs.
ÖBAG is supposed to manage the funds
The money is to be managed by the state holding company ÖBAG, with an advisory board deciding on the allocation of the money (representatives from industry, the capital market, research, ministries and social partners). This is ‘economic policy in the interests of taxpayers’, who ‘ultimately should not be the fools’. According to the party, the money for the fund can come from dividend income from the public sector, for example from investments by Asfinag, Verbund and ÖBAG.
It is currently unclear whether the financing will actually be used wisely. As an example of nonsense, Babler cited the fact that it was first decided to expand green energy production and that the associated network expansion was only tackled later. Babler repeated several times in the interview that the fund strengthens both climate policy and the location.
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.
