Renewed Debate on Vienna's Minimum Security

The Department 5 (Finance) highlighted in a letter from November 2024 that the additional costs projected for 2026 for Vienna's minimum security "will need to be covered by reductions in other areas within the budget of the Social, Health, and Sports group or significantly reduced by changing legal frameworks, as otherwise, financing is not feasible."

Debate on Vienna's Minimum Security: City Sees Budgets Under Pressure Everywhere

According to the "Kronen Zeitung," the city of Vienna points out that both federal and state budgets are under pressure. "This has been known for many months anyway. That all public levels - including Vienna - must save is beyond question," it was said from the office of Social City Councilor Peter Hacker (SPÖ). The finance director's note merely means that the groups "must manage with the money available to them." The costs of minimum security in 2026 are not yet determined. The opposition, however, sees it differently. In a statement, the city ÖVP complained that Vienna pays the full minimum security to those entitled to subsidiary protection, although this is not compatible with federal legal requirements. The new ÖVP leader Markus Figl identified an "unjust and unaffordable system" and called for a change of course. City FPÖ chairman Dominik Nepp demanded that Hacker should not be part of the next city government, as he is "one of the main responsible for this minimum security disaster." Furthermore, the minimum security should be linked to Austrian citizenship.

(APA/Red)

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