Competition from the left?

Kogler: “KPÖ must separate itself from Stalinists”

Werner Kogler during a visit to the EET company in Graz

(Bild: Christian Jauschowetz)

Green Party leader and Vice-Chancellor Werner Kogler on a pre-election campaign visit to Graz: the Styrian speaks out in favor of a right to photovoltaics for tenants and declares war on the "Stalinists" of the KPÖ.

It's hot, and it's April. A Green politician wants to talk about photovoltaics and climate change. Werner Kogler puts on his Ray-Bans and rolls up his sleeves, throwing his light beige jacket over his shoulder.

Between Diagonale appointments, the Vice-Chancellor paid a visit to Graz-based start-up EET on Monday - it is known for its mini PV systems that can be mounted on balconies. "Two years ago, we sold our thousandth device, this year we sold our ten thousandth," says CEO Christoph Grimmer, outlining the company's development. 80 employees currently work for the company. Among other things, they assemble the storage systems by hand in Graz. There is "a lot of tailwind" for EET, especially in the form of subsidies. Since the beginning of the year, photovoltaics have been exempt from VAT. "One condition was that we also pass these savings on to our customers," says Kogler.

Werner Kogler and Christoph Grimmer, CEO of EET

(Bild: Christian Jauschowetz)

Grimmer expresses one wish to Kogler straight away: "If the tenants had a right to PV, that would be great." The building community currently has a say in the design of balconies. "It would certainly make legal sense to change that," says Kogler. "I would also support that."

Distance to climate stickers
What comes first? Optics or green energy? Photovoltaics and wind farms must be possible on suitable areas, says Kogler. Is he afraid of 30 degrees at the beginning of April? "We shouldn't be afraid, but it must be an incentive to make even faster progress on climate protection." Activism like that of the "Last Generation" is the wrong approach, however. "It's understandable for a few weeks to draw attention to issues. But to paraphrase Lena Schilling: You shouldn't go up the ass of commuters on their way to work in the morning." You have to "convince majorities and not annoy majorities".

KPÖ is a "foreign shame"
And he will have to convince, because Werner Kogler is planning to stand as the top candidate once again for the National Council elections in the fall. The biggest competition this time could come from the left: The KPÖ and Dominik Wlazny are on the rise. "They should say in good time what they stand for. That is not always immediately clear. In Styria, the KPÖ should separate itself from its more or less declared Stalinist. That's shameful. It's a scandal that these people are sitting in parliament."

According to state election polls, the Greens hold between 8 and 12 percent of the vote in Styria. "If we had gone by the polls, we would not have been so successful either in Styria or in the National Council last time," says Kogler, refusing to be swayed. "Let's remember: according to the polls, we would have only just reached the hurdle for entry at Easter 2019."