Fischler to the "Krone":

“Federal Chancellor should have dismissed Gewessler”

Former EU Commissioner Franz Fischler (ÖVP) has clear words on the renaturation yes of Green Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler. Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer should have dismissed the minister, he says in the "Krone" podcast with Rainer Nowak.

"It's exciting to see how this will turn out", explains former EU Commissioner Fischler in the "Krone" podcast "Super Election Year". "I don't think it's very likely that there will be criminal consequences. But strictly speaking, it would have been the logical course of action if the Chancellor had dismissed the Minister," said Fischler.

The reaction of the ÖVP with a complaint for abuse of office and an action for annulment against the regulation at the European Court of Justice was a "mixture of legal and political calculation". The ÖVP wanted to punish Gewessler on the one hand, but at the same time did not want to risk ending the coalition. However, it is questionable whether anything will happen in terms of content in the next three months. There is still a lot to do.

The Green Minister has massively annoyed the ÖVP.(Bild: SEPA.Media/Michael Indra)

"I'm not a lawyer, but there are several arguments that the minister did not act in accordance with the law." First and foremost, the fact that she did not have the approval of the federal states and had not reached agreement with the other ministers.

Former Commissioner criticizes EU draft
However, Fischler is not only critical of Minister Gewessler's behavior, but also of the renaturation regulation itself. "I have many problems with this draft law. It is not well drafted and contains unresolved property issues and financial consequences."

Rights in Europe "not as dangerous as they are made out to be"
Fischler gives an interesting assessment of the outcome of the EU elections and the rise of right-wing parties. "The right-wing and far-right parties in the European Parliament are only half as dangerous as they pretend to be, because they are constantly arguing among themselves and are the only ones who do not have their own group, but three who are regularly at odds with each other."