Agency at the Summit – Bund, countries and municipalities want “Slim State”

It was only a first exchange with representatives of the countries, Chancellor Christian Stocker (ÖVP) emphasized. Further meetings with representatives of the Governor Conference, Cities and Community Association must follow. In involvement in the consultation, the government also wants social partners and social security.

Given the youngest and “surprising” figures, a “general effort” is needed to get the total shortage in the long term to one or two percent. In the medium term, Stocker strives for structural reforms, such as in the energy sector.

After the top in the federal chancellery, Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler (Spö) emphasized that the earlier saving goal was held. With the top, which follows further, people want to indicate that “it is a total state challenge that all concerns us”. At the same time, they want to signal trust. Finance Minister Markus Marterbauer (Spö) spoke about a very difficult task, but remembered the time after the bank crisis that was also controlled.

“Total task”
Financial secretary Barbara Eibinger-Miedl (ÖVP) also spoke about a major task. The conversation with the representatives of the local authorities was very constructive. “Today we see this as the first start to go into further processes.” Foreign Minister Beatte Meinl-Reisinger as representative of the Neos thanked everyone who is willing to take responsibility. The renovation of the budget is “a total task”.

“Course and willingness to reform” again emphasized the chairman of the head of the government, the Governor of Salzburg, Wilfried Haslauer (ÖVP). “There is also an opportunity in every crisis to make promising decisions,” he also said optimistic. Mayor of Vienna and president of the city of Association Michael Ludwig (Spö) and president of the community of Johannes Presl (ÖVP) also participated in the same direction and showed willingness to participate.

Ludwig for conversations at eye level
The countries are ready to wear the difficult budgetary situation together with the federal government, Ludwig had already emphasized before the top. However, this requires conversations at the eye level, for example, measures in tax legislation should be taken in coordination. The countries are also ready to talk about changes such as savings in the field of bureaucracy. However, it must be avoided that savings “the delicate plant of economic development” are destroyed by savings.

In any case, that was not enough for the greens of the opposition: “To announce the start of a trial in all awards – but it can be seen again that the countries and communities are particularly the most non -binding spokesperson Jakob Schwarz.” A clear, binding commitment on the side of the countries is necessary to make real progress “.

Budget consolidation was made more difficult by the latest figures for 2024, the shortage in the previous year was amazingly high 4.7 percent of gross domestic product. Surprisingly strong departure in the countries were also responsible for this. In general, debt tax is strongly focused on the federal government: the total debt percentage of Austria was 81.8 percent of GDP in the previous year. 70.8 percent was good for the federal government.

Only Upper Austria 2024 with Plus
The only country with a positive budget balance 2024 was Upper Austria (plus 29.8 million euros). Min 2024 was the highest with 1.67 billion euros in Vienna (exclusive state rooms), followed by Styria (525.5 million) and Lager Austria (486.5). Salzburg came up with a negative balance of 330.8 million euros, in Carinthia it was 184.0 million, in Vorarlberg 150.8 and 141.2 million euros in Burgenland.

The Center for Administrative Research (KDZ) pointed to the limited scope of the action of the communities on Wednesday. Many municipalities would already make concrete contributions to consolidation by postponing investments and reducing administrative costs, said KDZ expert Karoline Mitterer in a statement. Saving further savings, such as an increase in reimbursements, reimbursements and contributions for childcare, would inevitably have an impact on the reach of services and have the quality of life in the communities and limits, according to Mitterer. Without structural reforms at a higher level, it will hardly be possible to consolidate households of the long -term communities in the long term.