Russia sanctions: Haslauer for unity – salzburg.ORF.at
politics
Austria should stand united behind the EU sanctions against Russia. Salzburg’s LH Wilfried Haslauer (ÖVP) demands this – also with a view to black party friends who see it differently. The FPÖ demands the immediate end of the sanctions and a referendum on it.
One should not allow oneself to be “divided”, that is the position of Governor Haslauer. It was clear from the start that the sanctions would be painful, said Christian Pucher, spokesman for Haslauer, when asked by ORF. He demands unity. In the case of energy, the priority now is to reduce dependence on Russia.
Fierce debates across Europe
Other actors in politics see it differently. They point to the extreme energy prices, the high cost of living and inflation as a result of what they consider to be “wrong and ineffective policies” by the EU and European governments. The Austrian federal government will also continue to impose sanctions against Russia.
FPÖ, parts of the ÖVP massively against sanctions
The debate about the EU sanctions was triggered by Haslauer’s party colleague Thomas Stelzer in Linz. He sees social cohesion in society endangered by the development and the sanctions. The Salzburg FPÖ leader Marlene Svazek looks at the situation in a similar way. The EU sanctions would hit Salzburg and Austria harder economically than Russia. Svazek is calling for a federal referendum on a quick exit from the sanctions.
Shot in the EU’s own knee?
The President of the Salzburg Chamber of Commerce and ÖVP economic politician Peter Buchmüller was also critical of the sanctions against Russia. In the short term, the damage to Europe is much greater than to Russia, so more care needs to be taken.