Motion of No Confidence Against Doskozil Failed to Gain Majority

The motion of no confidence against Burgenland's governor Hans Peter Doskozil (SPÖ), introduced on Friday by FPÖ and ÖVP, was rejected by a majority in the state parliament. The blue club chairman Norbert Hofer and his black counterpart Bernd Strobl mainly referred to the financial situation of the state in their speeches. "It's enough, Mr. Governor," said Strobl.

Eisenstadt Mayor Left the Meeting Room

The motion of no confidence was debated and voted on immediately after Doskozil's budget speech to the state parliament members. However, neither the opposition's request for a secret ballot nor the motion of no confidence itself received a majority, only the members of FPÖ and ÖVP voted for it. However, not all, as the Eisenstadt mayor and state parliament member Thomas Steiner was absent from the ÖVP. He left the meeting room after the budget speech. The motion of no confidence was announced at a press conference without prior discussion in the club. Steiner communicated internally that he disagreed with this approach and therefore would neither sign nor vote, it was said to APA from the town hall. The ÖVP club did not comment on this. FPÖ member Michaela Brandlhofer was absent due to illness.

In the justification of the motion of no confidence, FPÖ club chairman Norbert Hofer addressed the governor: "You have cleared out the state. The assets are gone, the debts are there. This is a hole-on-hole policy that worries me greatly." The bill for this would be paid by the next generations, Hofer warned. The accusation of badmouthing was rejected by the FPÖ club chief: "No one is as practiced in badmouthing as you," he said to Doskozil and his statements that the federal government was to blame for the financial misery. "The motion of no confidence is directed at you as governor and finance officer. Personally, I wish you good health," said Hofer.

ÖVP: "It's Enough, Mr. Governor"

ÖVP club chairman Bernd Strobl also emphasized: "It's enough, Mr. Governor." The policy of recent years has been "megalomaniac" and "irresponsible." State assets have been sold, and now even the housing subsidy is being "bargained away." "We can and must no longer watch as a catastrophe is being steered into," said Strobl.

For the SPÖ, club chief Roland Fürst spoke in the debate and defended the proposed budget. It is "smart and sustainable" and provides stability. Fürst was surprised that the opposition wants to withdraw confidence from Doskozil, because: "You have not expressed any confidence." Green club chairman Wolfgang Spitzmüller also defended the budget and emphasized that both the federal government and the other federal states face the same problems: "The budgetary situation is no different anywhere else." Burgenland is investing in the future, but there must be no saving at the expense of the socially weak, said Spitzmüller.

FPÖ member Christian Ries received a reprimand because the word "dictator" was used in connection with his criticism of Doskozil's approach in presenting the budget figures.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.