Appearance at Summit

Well-known Salzburgers shoot against Teflon Boris’ appearance

Boris Johnson's 15-minute appearance at the Salzburg Summit on Friday, which was probably not cheap, is causing waves to rise(Bild: Thomas Krych)

The "Salzburg Summit", which started on Wednesday, will culminate on Friday with a short lecture by Boris Johnson - which is causing consternation in many places. This also comes from the black camp.

Intelligence, eloquence: Boris Johnson does not lack these qualities. The British Prime Minister until 2022 and elite school graduate can recite passages from Homer's Illiad for minutes on end in ancient Greek. But there is also the Johnson who drove his country into Brexit and thus into ruin, who rarely took the truth very seriously. Scandals cost the man who compared himself to Moses and preferred cats and dogs to humans in the 2021 flight evacuation from Afghanistan his job.

"There are different opinions. But the fact that Boris Johnson pushed for Brexit is absolutely not good," says Chamber of Commerce boss Peter Buchmüller.(Bild: Tröster Andreas)

Many well-known Salzburg residents are taking shots at the 60-year-old ahead of the ex-politician's appearance at the Salzburg Summit tomorrow. As a reminder, the ÖVP-affiliated Federation of Austrian Industry is co-organizer of the meeting of well-known personalities. Criticism of the highlight of the international lecture series also comes from the black camp.

"What signal should the gravedigger send out?"
"I don't like the fact that the WKS is not even invited," says Peter Buchmüller, boss of the Salzburg Chamber of Commerce. And: "I don't think it's good that Johnson, who pushed for Brexit, is being given such a stage. I don't see how anyone can benefit from it!"

The Federation of Austrian Industries IV is one of the main organizers of the Salzburg Summit(Bild: Kolarik Andreas)

SPÖ Europe spokesperson Sabine Klausner also finds it "questionable" "why Johnson is the keynote speaker at the Salzburg Summit". "In the UK, the healthcare system and economy are at rock bottom." City Deputy Mayor Kay Dankl (KPÖ Plus) reacted with dismay: "Johnson has driven a country into the abyss, he is a radical neoliberal who is out for the greatest advantage for corporations. At the same time, the gap between rich and poor is widening."

Johnson's lecture is expected to last a good 15 minutes today, the rest of the hour he will be available to the invited guests for a panel discussion. Criticism, if it arises, will bounce off Teflon Boris as it did in his best days as a scandal-ridden British storyteller.

"I wonder what signal the gravedigger of the UK's EU membership should send out," wonders Anna Schiester (Citizens' List).