"Something has to happen"

ÖVP state leader surprises with announcement on taxes

The Governor of Salzburg, Wilfried Haslauer (ÖVP), was quite willing to compromise on state revenues.(Bild: APA/BARBARA GINDL)

The bone of contention, budget restructuring, continues to cause tensions in the government negotiations - even without the NEOS. Now, ÖVP Governor Wilfried Haslauer, of all people, has made a surprisingly compromising statement. Because it seems that the categorical no to new taxes is at least partially being abandoned ...

After the NEOS withdrew from the coalition negotiations on Friday, the ÖVP and SPÖ are currently trying desperately in the Federal Chancellery to find a green branch after all. However, the differences, especially when it comes to the national budget, are huge.

State revenue is the bone of contention
While the SPÖ wants to make the rich pay, Chancellor Karl Nehammer has repeatedly emphasized that there will be no inheritance or wealth tax. The ÖVP-affiliated business association even insisted that there should be no talk of new taxes at all. 

In the Federal Chancellery, the ÖVP and SPÖ are currently desperately trying to find a green branch.(Bild: APA/TOBIAS STEINMAURER)

Haslauer, who forms a provincial government in Salzburg with the FPÖ, is currently chairman of the provincial governors' conference. In an interview with Ö1 on Saturday, he emphasized the need for "rapid action" with regard to forming a government: "Overall, the path was already set for a solution," he said about the situation before the NEOS jumped ship.

"Something has to happen on the revenue side"
Haslauer made a statement on possible new taxes that made people sit up and take notice. In terms of budget restructuring, he was willing to compromise: "The fact is, something has to happen on the revenue side." However, the Salzburg provincial leader did not want to give any details, emphasizing several times that he was not "part of the negotiating team" and would therefore not make any statements on the matter. 

Haslauer did not generally rule out the possibility of the People's Party opening up to the FPÖ at federal level: "Let's proceed step by step. If the talks fail, we will have to reanalyze the situation."

New elections? "The worst option"
In his view, new elections would be the worst option, if only because a lot of time would be lost: "We need a government capable of acting with a majority in parliament, even if it is only one vote."