Mikl-Leitner for Stricter Measures in Social Assistance

Germany's push for citizen's income reform is putting pressure on Austria to redesign social assistance at the federal level, said Lower Austria's Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner. "If Germany tightens up, we must become even stricter to prevent immigrants from coming to Austria because of our social benefits. And we must ensure that work always pays more than receiving social assistance," explained the ÖVP politician. Lower Austria should serve as a model for a uniform regulation at the federal level.

Tightening of Social Assistance: Withdrawal of Benefits for the Unwilling to Work and Higher Penalties

Lower Austria has had the strictest social assistance model among the federal states since 2019 and wants to tighten it further, said Mikl-Leitner. People who do not want to take up work can have their benefits reduced by half - previously for four weeks. The ÖVP advocates that social assistance be reduced for three months on the first offense. In the case of a repeat offense, benefits should be able to be withdrawn and only be claimed again after six months. "Those who do not want to work and prefer the hammock to the workbench should no longer expect others to work for them," said the Governor.

For people who provide false information to authorities or conceal income and assets, administrative penalties should be doubled to up to 5,000 euros. Additionally, a minimum penalty of 200 euros should apply. The framework for imprisonment should be tripled to six weeks. "Those who trick the system endanger solidarity with those who really need help," said Mikl-Leitner.

The Governor demands a change in the law from the federal government, whereby those whose unemployment benefits are withdrawn by the Public Employment Service (AMS) because, for example, they did not attend job interviews, should also automatically have no entitlement to social assistance. Entitlement should only exist again when there is a willingness to work.

Deputy Governor and FPÖ state party chairman Udo Landbauer stated in a broadcast that social assistance must represent a bridging aid for compatriots in need. He reiterated the demand for linking entitlement to Austrian citizenship. It is "absolutely unacceptable that people from all over the world, who have never paid a cent into the social system and probably never will, can unabashedly help themselves from the social pot." Additionally, an "immediate stop to mass immigration" is necessary, "immigration must be zero," was another demand from the Freedom Party to the federal government.

(APA/Red)

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