Renaturation dispute – This is how Gewessler responds to Nehammer’s threat of legal action

“The authorization mentioned in this letter does not exist in either Austrian law or European law. “I will therefore continue as planned,” Gewessler said.

Constitutional Minister Karoline Edtstadler (ÖVP) had previously made people pay attention with sharp words. The Minister of Climate Protection “willfully violates the constitution and the law,” Edtstadler said on Sunday. Be that as it may, the point is that “the law must remain the law. Ideology should never take precedence over law,” Edtstadler further warned. “Placing yourself above the constitution and laws is a new dimension. This must and will have legal consequences.”

However, the Green politician does not seem to be intimidated by this. She said she looks forward with confidence to a “possible” trial, she told media representatives before the council meeting in Luxembourg.

Nehammer assumes illegality
Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) had previously informed the Belgian Presidency of the EU Council that approval by Green Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler for EU renaturation would be illegal. Austria’s already announced abstention must be maintained, otherwise an annulment action will be brought before the Court of Justice.

The Federal Chancellery pointed out on Monday that there was a “genuinely negative statement from the states and that the necessary agreement between the federal ministries involved is lacking.” Therefore, as in other countries, “the conditions for approval of the current draft are not met.”

According to the Federal Chancellery, such an annulment appeal should be brought by the responsible member of the government, in this case Constitutional Minister Karoline Edtstadler (ÖVP). A decision by the Council of Ministers and therefore the approval of the Greens would not be necessary.

Belgium locates “intra-Austrian controversy”
However, the Belgian EU presidency saw the matter somewhat differently. “On our side, the vote is taken by the minister present in the room, that’s how it works,” said the responsible Belgian minister Alain Maron (Belgian Greens) on Monday before the meeting in Luxembourg. “For the rest, this is an internal Austrian controversy that has nothing to do with me.” This has been checked and it is legal to vote on the renaturation law on Monday.