Criticism of the Lower Austrian Covid Relief Fund: Lack of clarity and suspicion of abuse!

Criticism of the Lower Austrian Covid Relief Fund: Lack of clarity and suspicion of abuse!

The Lower Austrian state government launched the “Lower Austria Covid Relief Fund for Corona Consequences” in 2023 to repair the damage caused by pandemic measures. A total of up to 31.3 million euros is available for this fund. Applications could be submitted until the end of February 2025 and the funds should be paid out by September 2025. So far, 4.135 million euros have already been paid out, while unused funds will flow back into the state budget, as Christoph Luisser, the independent state councilor, confirmed. According to a report by the Federal Audit Office, however, there is considerable criticism of the allocation and handling of the fund, as no comprehensible need has been identified and there is ambiguity in the funding criteria, especially with regard to “vaccination impairment”. Vienna.at reported the need for clarification regarding certain requirements of the funding guidelines.

In the processing of the aid fund, there were always dubious approvals; among other things, several funding applications from almost identical associations were approved, which questioned the specialist department and the constitutional service. Critics such as the Greens described the approach as a “classic hash-bottom action”, while Luisser defended the measures as justified. He emphasized that the FPÖ sees the reimbursement of Corona fines as reparation for the injustice caused by the Corona measures at the time. In view of the scandalous incidents, criticism of the fund and the associated decisions is still a hotly debated topic in state politics, which was sharply criticized by both the opposition SPÖ and the Greens. Nope.gv.at added.

The application deadline for the relief fund was February 28, 2025, and the final disbursement of funds is expected to be completed by August 31, 2025. Applications that have been submitted correctly will continue to be processed and no cash payment will be made. There is no legal entitlement to funding, which is granted according to the available budgetary resources. If you provide incorrect information, the funding can be reclaimed. The state government wants to ensure that the funds are used effectively and responsibly.