The draft for the National Energy and Climate Plan (NEKP) should have been submitted to the EU some time ago, but it failed because Edtstadler stopped Gewessler’s corresponding draft. The European Minister further justified this by saying that three ministries had objections to the plans, but the minister did not take this into account: “It was not a national plan but a Gewessler plan.”
This was then sent to Brussels without the knowledge of the ÖVP. Then she accepted her responsibility to withdraw it again, said Edtstadler, who stated in the “press hour” that Gewessler had apparently been given “bad legal advice” here. However, discussions are continuing and she hopes to reach a “green branch” before the next deadline.
“She is unreasonable here”
European Minister Karoline Edtstadler (ÖVP) sharply criticized Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) in the “press hour” in connection with the outstanding Austrian climate plan.
Deadline until June 2024
In the respective NEKPs, the EU member states outline how they want to achieve their energy and climate goals for 2030. The final climate plan must be submitted to the EU Commission by June 2024. A year earlier, the EU countries had to submit a draft so that the Commission could make suggestions for improvements. The Climate Ministry did this in October, a few months late.
Shortly afterwards, Edtstadler’s ministry withdrew the draft on the grounds that it only reflected the position of the climate ministry and not that of the government. Gewessler contradicted: The other ministries were involved in the NEKP and their suggestions were taken up.
In December, the EU Commission opened infringement proceedings against Austria because of the missing draft. In mid-February, the Brussels authorities reminded once again that Austria, along with Poland, was the only country that had not yet officially submitted a draft NEKP. Gewessler recently defended her position. “It would be very easy to simply withdraw this objection, then the European Commission can examine the (NEKP, note),” as the minister told ZIB2 at the end of February.
“Red lines” at the Federal Prosecutor’s Office
Another open construction site of the ÖVP-Greens coalition is and will probably remain for some time to come the desired reform of the top management in the judiciary – keyword: federal prosecutor. As Edtstadler said in the “Press Hour”, she still stands by the project in principle, but she also has explanations for why she is against the three-party Senate desired by the Ministry of Justice.
Edtstadler himself also questioned whether, given these red lines, an agreement with Justice Minister Alma Zadic (Greens) could be expected by the end of the legislative period. For example, she did not see any willingness to clarify this in detail despite the end of the legislative period.
As far as the coalition with the Greens is concerned, which is described as a “project”, much progress has been made and more progress has been made than in many previous governments. Edtstadler referred here, for example, to the measures taken against cold progression and the Freedom of Information Act. It was a “remark that was impressive”, but it was still not easy and sometimes you had the feeling that you had the opposition in the coalition. “I don’t know whether this is the biggest drumbeat for a sequel,” as Edtstadler remarked.
Edtstadler on coalitions after the National Council election
As far as the future coalition in Austria is concerned, Edtstadler did not want to speculate in the “press hour”. First, it is up to the voters to have their say, said the minister, who merely ruled out collaboration with FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl.
No collaboration with Kickl
As far as the future government constellation is concerned, the minister first wants to let the voters speak. The only thing Edtstadler ruled out was collaboration with FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl, whom she accused of stopping at nothing. He also has a problem with women. Although the European Minister accused the Freedom Party of promoting Euroscepticism with hatred and dislike, she did not rule out a coalition with the FPÖ per se.
Even if she listens to SPÖ leader Andreas Babler, there are many things that she can’t do anything with – such as higher taxes. On the other hand, she also knows constructive forces in the SPÖ. If a three-party coalition were to emerge, Edtstadler would not commit either. She neither wanted to confirm nor deny that she would prefer NEOS to the Greens.
Like the other opposition parties, NEOS also criticized Edstadler’s “press hour” statements. NEOS EU leading candidate Helmut Brandstätter accused the ÖVP of blaming everything that was going wrong in the country on the EU. While FPÖ-EU leading candidate Harald Vilimsky identified a “pronounced political paranoia” against the Freedom Party, SPÖ federal manager Klaus Seltenheim described Edtstadler’s pro-European tones and distancing himself from the FPÖ as implausible.