Therefore no red-blue

Doskozil makes his reservations about Hofer public

Norbert Hofer feels "offended" by Hans Peter Doskozil.(Bild: APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)

Hans Peter Doskozil has explained why he has not considered a coalition with the Freedom Party in Burgenland. In doing so, he accused Norbert Hofer of misusing public funds - and federal politics was also scolded again. 

The level of conversation with Norbert Hofer was good and friendly and "always accompanied by a smile", he said on Sunday's ORF "Pressestunde". Nevertheless, he accused the former Third President of the National Council of building a fence around his property with public money and attempting to intervene in the purchase of a nursing home by the state.

For Doskozil, however, the main reason for rejecting a coalition under Hofer is a "connection" of former office workers in the National Council with right-wing extremist circles, which leads to the "Saxon separatists".

The Burgenland governor sees Herbert Kickl as "not so deeply involved in these issues". Can he imagine working with the FPÖ leader? "I would have to see for myself personally."

Hofer is "surprised"
"I am surprised and also personally affected by the contrived accusations that Doskozil has suddenly made against me," reacted FPÖ party leader Norbert Hofer in a press release. "This is a serious foul and offends me greatly." It is clear to him that the FPÖ in Burgenland "will be the controlling party in the coming legislative period", said Hofer.

At the same time, Doskozil believes that his party's policy of exclusion towards the Freedom Party is "to a certain extent certainly a mistake". A democratic vote "cannot be discussed away", he said on the FPÖ's claim to government in the federal government. In view of the faltering coalition talks, Doskozil would set up a government of experts "and then move towards a new election".

Doskozil does not want a "loser" coalition
"Yes, in the end Austria can be governed, no question about it," said Doskozil in his assessment of the options in federal politics. The constitution provides a great deal of leeway. A "coalition of losers" is certainly the wrong approach. This would only fuel the next election victory of the Freedom Party. According to Doskozil, it is possible to reduce the FPÖ to the essentials, namely its substantive promises. Then the party would also have to prove the truth.

"The population deserves a bit of calm," said the SPÖ governor, explaining his repeated proposal to appoint a government of experts. Doskozil more or less directly doubted whether his party could succeed in a possible new election. "I certainly don't see a clear, unified line in the inner workings of the party," he said about the state of the SPÖ, even though he emphasized: "Burgenland is not the center of nationwide social democracy."