Interview “Krone” – Kogler: “At least I’m stable enough”

„krone“: Mr. Vice Chancellor, what is actually longer? The list of billions spent on various measures or the list of scandals of your coalition partner ÖVP?
Werner Kogler: I also often enjoy exaggerated wording. But I think the inflation issue is too serious for those involved, and many of them are. The billions, especially emergency aid, are well invested because those who need them get them.

After the corona measures of 44.5 billion euros, there is now the anti-inflation package with a volume of 28 billion euros until 2026. If you have not struck gold yet: who is going to pay for that?n?
Yes, the calculation is not that difficult. Austria succeeds so well that it can. The hard currency and yardstick is the debt level as measured by our economic output, and it’s actually falling.

Prof. dr. Christoph Badelt, chairman of the Fiscal Council and Austria’s top guardian of state finances, classified the long-term measures against inflation as “quite risky” in the ORF report. Does he not know?
There are many economic researchers who describe the package as historic. As far as financing is concerned, it is also a matter of perspective. The five billion that go to the people, plus the one billion in emergency economic aid, are 1.2 to 1.4 percent of the economic output. We have to do this, we live in extraordinary times.

Now the cold progression, the secret inflation tax, must be abolished by two-thirds. An announcement. I have here a long list of announcements that have not materialized to this day. From the climate protection law to the vaccination fleet to the skimming of excess profits from companies. Why should the Austrians believe the government this time?
The laws are being prepared and implemented. On the one hand in the Council of Ministers, but also in the National Council.

Is there a guarantee from Werner Kogler that this will be carried out?
Personally, I do not guarantee anything for reasons of seriousness. It’s not just in my hands. These are turbulent times, we know that, but I assume that’s exactly what’s going to happen and there’s a lot of good reasons and clues for that.

What do you personally get out of the anti-inflation package?
The short-term measures are aimed at people who need them. I will certainly not receive the 300 euros that are available for minimum pensioners or recipients of student grants. So in the end the climate bonus of 250 euros, which everyone gets. The second anti-inflation bonus of 250 euros is taxed at 50 percent, as opposed to lower incomes.

When the war in Ukraine started, Germany was still 55 percent dependent on Russian gas, two months later only 35 percent. In two years, the rate should be 0 percent. When will it be that time in Austria, how exactly should this be done and what will it cost? Provide a list of facts.
I think it’s frivolous to ask. As if you could shake that up. It would be even more doubtful to give the answer. We reduce dependency as quickly as possible. The situation in Austria is, on the one hand, due to our pipeline management requirements, and on the other, the contracts entered into by Austrian companies, namely OMV, are completely different. The plan now is to make ourselves as independent as possible by 2027.

Let’s move on to partisan issues. How stable is the coalition?
Stable enough to deliver results. The first tax reform with carbon pricing and a climate bonus, the historic anti-inflation package with the abolition of cold progression and the valorisation of social and family benefits, and the health care reform have been launched. I love that. There may have been more stable governments, whoever judges, they have just brought together fewer. Because stable and nothing is not art.

At the press conference (Wednesday, please note) you, Chancellor Karl Nehammer, Finance Minister Magnus Brunner and Health Minister Johannes Rauch were in front of the cameras. You’re the only one who hasn’t been replaced yet. Is that really stable enough?
Then at least I’m stable enough. Collaboration is important and it works.

But a total of 14 government reshuffles, three chancellors, three health ministers, the current series resign. Have you not already lost the overview?
I hope not. I have an overview of the results of government work. And that is something to be proud of.

Then a little test question for you: Who was inaugurated on December 6?
Dec 6? At least Chancellor Nehammer. Minister of Foreign Affairs Schallenberg again became Minister of Foreign Affairs, and then logically a new Minister of the Interior, Mr Karner, was sworn in. Then what was it? That was the core of the transformation.

Do I have to solve? There were Finance Minister Magnus Brunner, Education Minister Martin Polaschek and Youth Minister Claudia Plakolm.
I don’t care if they were sworn in on the 7th or the 6th. What matters is that they are there.

Schmid chats, BMI chats, investigations, indictments, the Vorarlberg business association affair, documented job scams, the bodyguard affair, the devastating report from the Court of Auditors, the accountant at the ÖVP and much, much more. Is ‘whatever it costs’ also your motto to stay in the coalition?
No, we have a government contract that rightly states “Responsibility for Austria”. There have never been such difficult times in recent decades, in which multiple crises converge at the same time. War in Ukraine, pandemic and the consequences of the increasingly looming consequences of the climate crisis. It is crucial to roll up your sleeves and come up with solutions.

What must be done to call new elections?
I will not call new elections on my own, that is still a matter for Parliament. As for the other attributions and caveats to the ÖVP, you can see that since we Greens have been in government, more has been uncovered and clarified than ever before. And most of these cases took place in the years 2013 and especially from 2016 to 2019. It is important that the judiciary can conduct independent investigations. The Court of Auditors recently sent an accountant to the ÖVP, which is an extraordinary process that should not be trivialized.

Depending on the investigation, a red-green-NEOS traffic light coalition would be the order of the day. Doesn’t that interest you?
Now we are working on what is needed now. Let others speculate, we work.

Will you be a top candidate in the next election?
Now I’m not worried about the next election. We will find a solution in time when it comes again.

Will Minister Leonore Gewessler be your successor?
In Leonore Gewessler we have a great Minister of Climate Protection, she is doing an excellent job. The rest will show.

How many times in this coalition have you had to betray your principles?
I have not disclosed my personal information at all. That’s a misguided idea of ​​politics, that you always have 100 percent your way. In a Western parliamentary democracy like Austria, compromises will always have to be made.

Does this mean that illegal deportations of children in the middle of the night are in line with your principles?
Of course not, and there was also a public conflict. We said very clearly at the time that it was neither necessary nor useful. And we didn’t do that somehow, but in public, as you can easily read.

Final question for the Minister of Sport: How many push-ups can you do?
I haven’t done anything for a long time, I’m happy if I cycle for two or three hours in a row or swim for half an hour. So my athletic performance level is pretty low right now in this regard.