If You Want Citizenship, You Have to Visit a Concentration Camp Memorial
Kurier, April 3, 2024
German original: https://kurier.at/chronik/oesterreich/mikl-leitner-landeshauptleutekonferenz-st-poelten-oevp/402842788
At their conference in St. Pölten on Wednesday, the provincial governors passed resolutions on housing, voluntary work and the fight against anti-Semitism. They are pushing for a further relaxation of lending rules.
In addition, the federal states want to be able to intervene in housing demand through a vacancy tax. Lower Austria's Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner (ÖVP) called for insurance cover for informal volunteering.
The federal states would like to have more control over "public housing". According to Carinthia's governor Peter Kaiser (SPÖ), a resolution passed by the provincial conference called for the introduction of a vacancy tax. This should be possible in a volume that could also have a controlling effect.
"Will not let up"
When it comes to property, Mikl-Leitner, who is currently chairing the LH Conference, believes that the federal government's housing package and the first relaxation of the KIM ordinance have already achieved a great deal. The state representatives have agreed "not to let up" until the Financial Market Authority abolishes the lending guidelines.
"We do not want to and will not accept the rise in anti-Semitism," emphasized Mikl-Leitner. On the one hand, all pupils should visit a concentration camp memorial or a Jewish museum in Austria at least once. On the other hand, such a visit should also become part of the integration or naturalization process, said the Governor. "Anti-Semitism has no place in our country - regardless of whether it comes from the right, the left or Muslims," she stated.
In terms of volunteering, the LH Conference unanimously spoke out in favor of nationwide insurance cover for informal volunteering. Mikl-Leitner announced that Social Affairs Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens) would be invited to negotiate with the federal states on the joint financing of such a project. There is currently no or no suitable protection for neighborhood help.
The decision on wolves was also unanimous. The protection status of the animal should be lowered, demanded Kaiser. This was also proposed by the EU Commission. A joint statement by the federal states was launched in February.
Demands for less bureaucracy
Mikl-Leitner called on Europe to reduce bureaucracy in order to maintain competitiveness. The European Union should take care of the big issues and withdraw from those areas that can be better regulated in the regions, explained the Governor. Thomas Stelzer (ÖVP), Governor of Upper Austria, also believes that a reduction in bureaucracy is "highly urgent". He also brought sunset legislation into play, whereby laws expire if they are not extended.
Renewable energies were also a topic at the conference. Here, the provincial governors are pushing for an acceleration law so that plants can be built as quickly as possible, said Stelzer.