The suicide of a young doctor from Upper Austria, who was driven to her death by hate speech, shocked the whole country. In the krone.tv summer conversation with Katia Wagner, Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) takes a detailed position on this: “We should not only discuss that we treat each other more carefully and also allow other opinions in the discourse.” : “Yes, we must take hate seriously and fight it!”
In the wake of the “incredibly regrettable and dramatic” suicide of Dr. Lisa-Maria Kellermayr, he also wants to see if more legal action needs to be taken. When asked whether the earlier downplay by the Upper Austria police will have repercussions, the chancellor asked for “honesty in assessing the case”. “There are always two sides. They need to be heard and monitored!” says Nehammer. In any case, the Interior Ministry will “do everything it can” to look into the allegations.
“I will remain chancellor if…”
For him, too, the ‘shape of how we interact’ is the thing he likes least about his job as chancellor. Nevertheless, even with current knowledge of the responsibility, he would again say “yes” to the Chancellor’s job. It is clear to him that he wants to stay that way for years to come. The only restriction: “If the voters want it”. It is an “honour” for him to “serve the country”, especially in difficult times.
Chancellor apologizes for controversial speaker
When asked by Wagner whether he was “more of a team alcohol” or more of a “team psychotropy” in this crisis, the Chancellor surprisingly apologized. “I take it that I have to curb my irony. If people feel offended, I’m sorry, because it shouldn’t be that way,” says Nehammer. For him, it is crucial that we get through this crisis together and that Russian head of state Vladimir Putin fails to “scare” us.
“Sanctions will hit Russia massively in the long run”
That is why, according to Chancellor Karl Nehammer, it is so important to “take action against an aggressor”. The sanctions would hit Russia “in the long run en masse” and “hopefully promote a process of rethinking Russian politics so that this war ends”. Nehammer explains the sanctions: “We are trying to use non-military means to speed up the process of ending the war.”
Polls “not good”
According to the chancellor, the meager polls – in which the ÖVP and the FPÖ match for second place – were “not good actually”. They are also due to the “clouded mood” of the people due to the many crises. But he is sure that if the government helps people through the crisis, the numbers will improve again. At the latest from August, because: “Then the wave of relief begins to roll.”
‘Austria suffers from illegal migration’
Karl Nehammer also finds clear words in the krone.tv summer lecture on the subject of migration. While “regulated immigration is necessary and good for social development and the labor market”, he makes a distinction between those “where smugglers decide who comes to Europe”. On the second, he says: “Austria suffers enormously from illegal migration.” The European Union must better protect its external borders here.
“No, this is not an election campaign”
Due to the many construction sites, he does not want to fly on holiday for the time being, but only wants to take a few days off. Is the summer tour of Austria a harbinger of new elections instead? “No, this is not an election campaign,” Nehammer assures.
The next summer talks with Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler can be seen next Wednesday at 8:15 pm on krone.tv!
Source: Krone
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