"I am optimistic"

Hans Peter Doskozil and his voice are back

Doskozil returned to office on Tuesday.(Bild: APA/HANS KLAUS TECHT)

The Governor of Burgenland, Hans Peter Doskozil (SPÖ), is back in the public eye after several weeks of absence due to illness. Doskozil first had to undergo another operation on his larynx and then suffered pneumonia. 

The pneumonia meant that he was temporarily unable to speak at all, he explained on Tuesday afternoon during a background discussion in Bad Tatzmannsdorf (Oberwart district).

"Made me think about it"
"I had no voice until last week", and this situation had "more or less made me think", said the governor. He therefore went to Leipzig again last Thursday. His doctor removed mucous membranes: "Then my voice was back and training began. I am very optimistic that it will work again and that I will be able to take part in question time in parliament tomorrow."

"Glad that I haven't become depressed"
When asked whether he had thought about withdrawing in this situation, Doskozil said that everyone would probably consider what this would mean for their personal situation and their professional practice: "I'm glad that I haven't become depressed."

The governor explained the course of his recovery: First, at the beginning of November, an ossification was removed from his larynx in hospital in Leipzig - as he had done several times before. After returning home, however, he developed pneumonia and, unlike with previous operations, he was subsequently unable to undertake any voice training. He was only able to speak again after the mucous membranes were removed. "I'm glad to be back on board," he said.