Pressure mounts

Even Mikl-Leitner urges Mahrer to resign

The Governor speaks clearly.(Bild: Imre Antal)

WKO boss Harald Mahrer's attempt to break free has not been successful. Johanna Mikl-Leitner, governor of Lower Austria, is the first high-ranking ÖVP politician to dare to criticize Mahrer in public. In an interview with the "Krone" newspaper, she indirectly suggests that he resign.

The decision on Mahrer's function as WKÖ President will not be made in St. Pölten. But she assumes "that the right conclusions will be drawn in Vienna in the interests of the economy", said Mikl-Leitner on request. "This is important because our companies need strong and, above all, credible business representation."

"This is frontal damage"
"The resentment is more than great - especially among our largely voluntary functionaries. That is why the open discussion within the Chamber of Commerce is more than understandable," said Mikl-Leitner. 

Harald Mahrer has been fighting a defensive battle for days(Bild: Jöchl Martin)

The provincial governor speaks plainly.(Bild: Imre Antal)

She has held countless talks in the last few days. "Also with hundreds of compatriots who visited me at the open day in my office on Sunday to talk to me. And if you ask me what our compatriots in Lower Austria have to say about this, then I can only say: this is a frontal damage," said the head of the province.

Upper Austria's powerful ÖVP state governor Thomas Stelzer also agrees with the criticism. "The trust of many entrepreneurs has been shaken. The Chamber of Commerce is now called upon to regain this trust quickly. It is up to the committees of the Chamber of Commerce or Harald Mahrer himself to decide who will head it," he explained to "Krone".

Criticism had also recently arisen because Mahrer received 88,000 euros per year as OeNB President in addition to his salary as WKÖ President. Mahrer had then announced that he would be relinquishing his position at the National Bank "in the near future".