In Austria’s government there is a lack of crisis management – politics
What is actually going on in Austria? Is there something like crisis management in Vienna? The difference in how to deal with the impending end of Russian gas at the highest political level was made very clear this week when German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck was in Vienna. The German Green knows how to address the problems directly. He swears to the people in Germany that it will “hurt everyone a lot” if the flow of gas from Russia is permanently stopped.
Ironically, during his visit to Vienna, Habeck indicated that prioritizing the supply of private consumers in the event of a dramatic energy shortage must be reconsidered. The industry cannot be automatically ranked later, you had to “think about it,” said Habeck, who is Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection – in that order, as has been shown very clearly in recent weeks.
The Greens in Germany are reacting pragmatically and have also cleared previous dogmas: they are now massively relying on coal, although this is not exactly conducive to climate protection goals. Habeck expressly warns the German Environmental Aid against lawsuits against the accelerated construction of import terminals for liquefied natural gas. Environmentalists see an underwater biotope and porpoises at risk. The Greens in Germany are only reluctant to extend the service life of the three nuclear power plants still in operation beyond the turn of the year – for now.
But intensive work is being done to advance the diversification of energy sources. Germany has managed to reduce dependence on Russian gas from 55 percent to around 35 percent since the outbreak of war in Ukraine. Austria is much more dependent than Germany on Russian gas supplies, so far it has obtained more than 80 percent from Russia. In addition, the gas storage facilities in Austria are only 48 percent full, while in Germany they are at least 64 percent full.
In Vienna, the responsible Green Minister Leonore Gewessler makes a helpless impression – although she has far more powers than Habeck with the agendas of energy, transport and environmental protection. Energy suppliers are already complaining about the lack of political emergency plans and are looking around for alternative energy sources – such as oil. Such guidelines would have to come from politics.
Overall, the government does not exactly convey confidence, because it lacks action. The green vice chancellor, Werner Kogler, babbles around in his own style of speaking, and recently, chancellor Karl Nehammer has repeatedly exhibited behavioral problems. His statement about the crisis situation that there were only two decisions anyway, alcohol or psychotropic drugs, was completely out of place.
In view of what is happening in Ukraine, war rhetoric such as declaring “inflation” the “enemy” is also inappropriate. When even the governor of Lower Austria, Johanna Mickl-Leitner, demands that “clear leadership is needed in the government”, then it is not just her party friend, the chancellor, who should be concerned.