"Dithering" in Vienna

Tempers are running high! No agreement on drought aid

Norbert Totschnig can’t seem to get the heat relief measures off the ground.(Bild: APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH)

The latest attempt has failed: Negotiations on aid for drought-stricken farmers ended on Friday without a result. There are no winners: The SPÖ isn’t getting a climate bill, and the ÖVP isn’t getting money for its farmers. As a result, some are nearly at the end of their patience.

For “Krone” readers, this comes as little surprise. Today’s negotiations regarding heat-related aid for agriculture ended without a result. According to sources close to the negotiations, the parties’ positions remain “miles apart.”

The biggest sticking point: Totschnig is reportedly insisting on an additional 250 million euros—and outside the agricultural budget. Given the ongoing austerity measures, the SPÖ isn’t going along with that: “I can’t imagine handing out general taxpayer-funded handouts to every single farm, regardless of how severely they’ve been affected,” says government coordinator Michaela Schmidt.

The NEOS also do not want to reopen the recently approved double budget. They are demanding that the ÖVP first look for leeway within its own portfolio. However, the minister rules out even reallocations—such as those involving agricultural diesel.

There will be no “whatever the cost” policy à la Sebastian Kurz with us.

Michaela Schmidt, Staatssekretärin und Regierungskoordinatorin

Bild: BMWKMS

Nor does a solution seem to be in sight regarding the trade-off with the Climate Protection Act. While Totschnig wants an additional 250 million euros for agriculture, he shows no willingness to compromise on the Climate Protection Act. The SPÖ and NEOS suspect that Totschnig is shying away from a conflict with the powerful Economic Association, which is skeptical of binding climate targets. “The ball is now in the minister’s court—or rather, in that of our coalition partner,” said Schmidt.

Governor: “Zero tolerance for this dithering”
And he promptly passes the ball back to the SPÖ and NEOS: “Today we presented concrete proposals for targeted measures to provide the urgently needed drought relief,” said Totschnig. These include, among other things, rapid and effective liquidity assistance. “In the interest of our local food supply, I urge everyone not to play political games but to work together to quickly approve this aid now,” the minister said, standing firm on his position.

Not even the ÖVP has any patience left for the ÖVP. Upper Austrian Governor Thomas Stelzer says “this is taking too long,” as he emphasized at the Mühlviertel Fair: “Our farmers see the consequences of the drought every day in their fields.” He has “zero patience for this dithering by the federal government. Aid must be provided quickly now,” demands Stelzer, who faces re-election next year.

Will Stocker step in now?
The next round of “heatwave poker” is set to take place on Monday. According to reports, Chancellor Christian Stocker might then step in personally and make the heatwave aid a top priority. However, this has not been officially confirmed. For now, the government is left with nothing but a hot weekend...