Government criticism: ethnic group rights remain unaffected in the new program!

Government criticism: ethnic group rights remain unaffected in the new program!

Laimgrubengasse 10, 1060 Wien, Österreich - The ethnic group spokeswoman for the Greens, Olga Voglauer, expresses sharp criticism of the government program of ÖVP, SPÖ and Neos, which in their opinion has disappointingly little substance in relation to the rights of the Austrian ethnic groups. "Real visions for strengthening the ethnic groups? None," emphasizes Voglauer. Only three points in the entire program deal with the recognized ethnic groups, which are described as the "indispensable part of the Austrian identity", but the concrete implementation of these rights remains unclear. According to the Voglauer, there is a lack of political will to actually live these rights, and urgent moderation of laws are pending to ensure a high human rights standard for the autochthonous minorities in Austria. This lack of concretization of ethnic group rights is a certificate of poverty for Austria, according to Voglauer.

The government program remains vague, especially in the education sector. Voglauer points out that there are already extensive demands of the ethnic groups that are not taken into account, such as the legal anchoring of bilingual elementary pedagogy or teaching in ethnic group languages ​​in cities such as Vienna and Graz. "70 years after the state contract was signed, that would be high," she adds. Although there have been progress in visibility and promotion of ethnic groups in recent years, the new government program will miss important steps for the future. Voglauer promises that the Greens will continue to be on the side of the ethnic groups in order to stand up for modern and effective protection of their rights. Their commitment is particularly important in the year of commemoration because it is important to continue working on the rights of the ethnic groups.

A call to political mindfulness

According to Voglauer, values ​​such as civil courage, mindfulness and respect are central elements of their political work. She emphasizes that it is her job to stand up for the voices of those who cannot speak for themselves. In times of uncertainty and challenges, it is important to promote dialogue and reduce barriers. To consider “politics” and “society” as opposing blocks is not expedient; Instead, it should be worked together on a positive future. Their goal is to secure the social participation of everyone and to ensure that the rights of minorities are not overlooked.

As Voglauer says itself, "it takes a rethink and implementation of existing rights" - words that are of great importance in the current political landscape. The demands of the ethnic groups are clear: a modern, legally confident cooperation must be created so that all citizens in Austria can enjoy the same rights and opportunities. Further details about Voglauer's views can be found on the website of the Greens .

These developments show how urgently it is necessary to not only defend the rights of ethnic groups in words, but also to actively implement them in everyday political life. Voglauer and her team continue to work for these concerns and ask the government to finally become active.