Werner Kogler offensive

“The SPÖ is at least as concretizing as the ÖVP”

(Bild: Martin A. Jöchl)

In the extensive krone.tv summer interview with Tanja Pfaffeneder and Gerhard Koller, Green Party federal spokesman and Vice-Chancellor Werner Kogler, as usual, does not mince his words on the four main topics of "Islamist threat", "Leonore Gewessler's solo efforts", "Lena Schilling" and "Future government options".

For example, Kogler is clear right at the beginning of his assessment of the domestic Islamist threat: "We have no tolerance for Islamist intolerance. All I have to do is covertly put my ear into the mosque and I don't need Messenger surveillance."

However, he rejects the ÖVP proposal on messenger surveillance because it would involve mass surveillance. He also complained about the situation that the FPÖ was responsible for when it came to the BVT being dismantled: "We were shunned by foreign intelligence services due to the scandals (surrounding the BVT, note)."

Gewessler's solo efforts
As expected, things got heated during the topic block "Leonore Gewessler's unilateral actions": "These were anything but unilateral actions, but great alliances of reason with the population." The Green federal spokesperson once again argued that it made sense for the Environment Minister to approve the renaturation law: "Our future is at stake. And it won't be the ÖVP or the President of the Chamber of Commerce walking around with a pollination stick."

Tanja Pfaffeneder, Gerhard Koller and Werner Kogler(Bild: Martin A. Jöchl)

Tanja Pfaffeneder, Gerhard Koller and Werner Kogler(Bild: Martin A. Jöchl)

The Vice-Chancellor also had clear words on the Lobau Tunnel, for which the SPÖ and ÖVP had campaigned massively: when asked whether Gewessler's "no" to the tunnel was not also a solo effort, Kogler replied: "The ÖVP is with the concreters when in doubt. But the SPÖ is at least as much with the concreters as the ÖVP". In general, he says: "When it comes to environmental protection, the SPÖ is reliably on the wrong side."

Climate stickers were a dead end
The dissolution of the "Last Generation" was also a brief topic in the summer discussion. Kogler's summary, alluding to the climate stickers: "It was simply a dead end. But Van Gogh poses no threat to the climate, that must be clear." (This is referring to the "Last Generation" shaking actions, note). And further: "Sticking to the Naschmarkt like a martyr doesn't convince me yet."

When speculating which would be the Greens' ministry of choice should they be part of the next coalition government, Kogler surprised everyone by not immediately naming the climate ministry: "Through the Ministry of Justice (with Green Minister Alma Zadic, note), we have managed to virtually turn off the influence on politics."

All other statements on the four main topics in the krone.tv summer interview, which was filmed in the Vice-Chancellor's office, can be seen in the video above.