Alexander Schallenberg made a government statement in the National Council for the second time on Wednesday morning. Following the resignation of Karl Nehammer, the Minister of Foreign Affairs will take over as Chancellor on an interim basis. He made it clear to the MPs that we live in difficult times, both in terms of domestic and foreign policy. “Austria is not an island of the blessed,” Schallenberg said.
Schallenberg sees major challenges for Austria as a business location. Otherwise, authoritarian systems would challenge our model of life and the international order we built after World War II.
Attempts to “undermine society”
Through social media, “trolls and bots seek to undermine our society and destabilize our democracy, amplifying every narrative and disinformation that divides us and makes us appear weak,” the government statement said. This is extremely dangerous and we must defend ourselves against it.
Although Austria is one of the richest and safest places in the world, it is no longer an island of the blessed and not untouchable. Schallenberg: “We are not immune to crises, conflicts and war. On the contrary, they sometimes influence us very directly. But we can only solve the challenges that arise from this together – in Austria, in Europe and in the international community.”
Schallenberg has also made a clear commitment to the EU. Austria can only solve the coming challenges together with Europe and the international community.
No new territory for Schallenberg
For Schallenberg, a government statement is not new territory. When he held the chancellery between Sebastian Kurz and Nehammer for a few weeks, he already received corresponding demands.
The meeting started with a ‘current hour’, in which the budget was central at the request of the SPÖ. Otherwise, the only items on the meager agenda are the election of members and alternate members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and a request for the “extradition” of the Secretary General of the Green Party, Olga Voglauer.
Pause in coalition negotiations
The plenary session also marks a break in the coalition negotiations between the FPÖ and ÖVP. Business will resume on Thursday and Friday, including topics such as finance and economics, national defense, education, pensions and foreign policy. The first round of discussions must then be completed.
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.
