“Gas lockdown in autumn” – politicians have a bad prognosis – Austria News
After numerous corona lockdowns, Austria is again threatened with closure in autumn. This time Vladimir Putin could be to blame.
The corona numbers are currently rising again. The return of the corona tests present for events or even a lockdown is currently being considered. However, the SPÖ state manager in Burgenland, Roland Fürst, fears another lockdown in autumn.
Gas embargo would have severe consequences
But then Corona shouldn’t be the reason why companies are still standing and the economy falls back into a severe recession, but Vladimir Putin and his gas. The red politician therefore assumes that Putin will turn off the gas tap completely.
Fürst writes on the short message service Twitter: “It is pretty clear that there will be a lockdown in autumn and winter because Putin will turn off the gas completely. That basically means no heating & no hot water, no industry, etc. I’m afraid that hasn’t quite arrived yet!”.
Should the warmonger actually turn off the gas, Austria is indeed heading for turbulent and challenging times. WIFO boss Gabriel Felbermayr assumes that the inflation rate in Austria would double and that energy costs would continue to skyrocket.
economy threatens catastrophe
In addition, autumn and winter are likely to be particularly cold. Without gas, many Austrians would have to cut corners when it comes to heating. Industry would be headed for collapse anyway, and the economy would be hit hard all over again.
In any case, clear words about what would await us are few and far between at the moment, but this is different in Germany. Economics Minister and Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck speaks plainly again and again and warns of a catastrophe that “would take society’s solidarity to its limits and beyond”.
Expenses already massive
In Austria, however, many citizens are already complaining about the high costs. The situation has now gotten so bad for many that they see no way out. Almost every seventh person states that they are financially overwhelmed by the current situation. 27 percent fear a sudden expense that would drive them further into financial distress.
More >> Living, eating – Austrians slide into the poverty trap
But that is not the only area that worries the Austrians. The study shows that housing costs are currently a heavy financial burden for 820,000 people. 860,000 people (13.8 percent) expect payment difficulties in balancing their housing costs in the next three months. In the last quarter of 2021, this figure was still 750,000 (12 percent).
Inflation has also meant that two million people have had to accept a loss of income in the coming year. 476,000 people in the country even state that they can no longer feed themselves properly due to the rise in prices.