The events linked to the support of Wien Energie continue to provoke heated debates in the town hall. On Tuesday, for example, the Viennese Greens asked for more information on the cause and expressed doubts about the transparency package announced by Rot-Pink. The FPÖ, on the other hand, put the auction in the ÖVP window. Because the Blues fear for the commission of inquiry agreed in principle with the People’s Party.
After the finance committee, the city senate today decides on the billions of loans granted to Wien Energie so that it can continue to be active on the energy exchanges. The city alone has allocated a total of 1.4 billion euros, while the federal government has made available 2 billion. Mayor Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) has granted loans to the city as part of the exercise of its emergency powers.
Two Green Party leaders, Peter Kraus and Judith Pühringer, and club boss David Ellensohn once again criticized a “non-transparent approach”. They want to know from Ludwig how many days before the assignment of the first tranche in mid-July he knew of the problems. They also ask for an answer to the question whether it has been verified whether the measure should be decided in the summer through a circular resolution in the competent committees, such as the city senate.
The transparency package announced by SPÖ and NEOS is met with little euphoria. For example, the so-called right of interpellation, or the right to ask questions to the city parliament, must be strengthened. In the future, city councilors may also be questioned about outsourced companies or “legal persons” subject to control by the Court of Auditors.
The Greens are of the opinion that this would not have changed anything in the case of Wien Energie. They demand that the city’s outsourced operations be part of a commission of inquiry. The Greens have announced talks with all parties.
This investigation commission of the city council had already been announced by the ÖVP and the FPÖ. Such a body of 25 representatives can be set up in Vienna. No opposition party alone has so many seats, which is why a common approach is needed. Turquoise and Blue have 30 combined mandates.
However, the FPÖ now doubts that the People’s Party is fully involved here. As reported in a press conference by Vienna FPÖ leader Dominik Nepp, two of the four members of the ÖVP parliamentary group were not present at the meeting of the financial committee when the vote on the Vienna loan was discussed. Unlike the rest of the faction, they probably didn’t want to reject them, Nepp suspected. The two entered the courtroom only on the point on the agenda when the federal government loans were decided.
According to the City Hall Blues, this indicates that the People’s Party is divided on the issue – and that Viennese ÖVP boss Karl Mahrer is already preparing for the “coalition bed” with the SPÖ. Nepp stressed that the U-Commission with the ÖVP would only be used if all representatives of the People’s Party signed their signatures. Otherwise there would be a risk that the ÖVP would also fail to act as a member of the commission and refuse witnesses, warned the FPÖ leader.
The Viennese ÖVP reacted with little satisfaction, but at the same time reassured their Italian colleagues. “You don’t have to place any conditions on us,” party leader Karl Mahrer said at a press conference. Club head Markus Wölbitsch felt it “was not smart” for the opposition to do something to each other, especially when the smaller opposition party did it in the direction of the larger.
“Sure”, but all ÖVP representatives would agree with the question, assured Wölbitsch. The ÖVP has promised to play a very active role in clearing up the “biggest financial scandal” in Vienna’s history. In a report commissioned by the People’s Party, the mayor was said to have involved the committees too late, the city’s Turks said.
The timeline for the U-Commission is also taking shape. He is scheduled to take office in October. The ÖVP estimates that the first meeting could therefore take place before Christmas.
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