Parliamentary mission

FPÖ general jets to Kuala Lumpur for AI summit

The FPÖ criticized many of the government's trips abroad. Their general is in Kuala Lumpur.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Daniel Reinhardt, Harald Schneider)

It was the Freedom Party that took the lead in criticizing the expensive political trips of various members of the government. However, one of their trips abroad is now also causing a stir around parliament: FPÖ Secretary General Christian Hafenecker is on a parliamentary mission in Kuala Lumpur ...

"Your pensions are flying here", criticized the FPÖ after the business class flights of Foreign Minister and NEOS leader Beate Meinl-Reisinger became known. But not only "Business Class Beate" was criticized - SPÖ Vice-Chancellor Andreas Babler was also confronted with a parliamentary question to clarify why he travelled to the Big Apple when domestic pensioners had to bite the bullet. However, there is now also a fuss around the House about a flight by the flight critics.

"Would have traveled to Sieghartskirchen too"
Last week, FPÖ General Christian Hafenecker flew to Kuala Lumpur to take part in a conference lasting several days on the topic of "the role of parliaments in shaping the future of responsible artificial intelligence". He is there in his capacity as Chairman of the Parliamentary Science Committee and on behalf of the Parliamentary Directorate, which is also sending an IT official. "If the conference had been in Sieghartskirchen, I would have gone there too," Hafenecker told the Krone.

Ambassador meeting on Monday
He was still in Malaysia on Monday to meet the Austrian ambassador there. "I am there to work and will of course inform the local parliament of the results," added the blue general. His last parliamentary trip was also in 2023, and he will of course bear all costs beyond the conference himself. 

The FPÖ criticized many of the government's trips abroad. Their general is in Kuala Lumpur.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Daniel Reinhardt, Harald Schneider)

The trip cost the taxpayer around 7,000 euros, as the parliamentary administration revealed on request. Hafenecker flew business class, the civil servant economy class. The government would also have been invited to send a representative, but declined.

Unlike members of other parties, Hafenecker did not skip a parliamentary session for the trip ...