FPÖ – Reifenberger: "Our neutrality must become credible again"
Vienna (OTS) - The spokesperson for defense affairs of the Freedom Party, Mag. Volker Reifenberger, stated in his contribution to the debate that it was a failure of the black-green federal government that the discussion in the National Council today focused on the Foreign and European Policy Report for the year 2022 instead of for the year 2023. "The fact that this report can even be discussed here today is solely due to the fact that we, the Freedom Party, demanded it. As in many other areas, this coalition shows how little progress is being made. The new security strategy is still not complete - and this is in a time of multiple crises in Europe and worldwide."
Reifenberger directed his criticism at ÖVP Foreign Minister Schallenberg, stating that he and the government consisting of ÖVP and Greens were to blame for Austria no longer being perceived as a neutral state abroad. "If you only call yourself neutral but no one else perceives you as neutral, then that is extremely dangerous. Neutrality is only valuable if it is both capable of defense and lived credibly. We have a huge problem in both aspects. They have eroded and virtually abolished our neutrality without ever consulting the population," said the FPÖ spokesperson for defense affairs.
Reifenberger listed the misconduct of the black-green government during the further course of the debate: "Starting with thousands of troop transports through Austria, countless flyovers of military aircraft over Austria, the transport of foreign war equipment through our country, the intended accession to Sky Shield, a project that according to its own definition serves to strengthen the European pillar of NATO air defense, the financial contributions to the European Peace Facility, used to procure ammunition for Ukraine, the financial support of the EUMAM project, which provides military training for Ukrainian soldiers by EU countries, the establishment of a military partnership with the National Guard in Vermont/USA, to participating in economic sanctions."
Table 1: Austrian Neutrality - Historical Context
Year Event Facts
1955 Austrian State Treaty The Austrian State Treaty, signed on May 15, 1955, guaranteed Austria's permanent neutrality as a condition for regaining full sovereignty after World War II.
1995 Austria's EU Membership Austria, as a neutral country, joined the European Union on January 1, 1995. It maintained its neutral status while participating in EU policies.
2020-2022 Incidents under the black-green government - Thousands of troop transports through Austria
- Countless flyovers of military aircraft over Austria
- Transport of foreign war equipment through Austria
- Intended accession to Sky Shield, a project for NATO air defense
- Financial contributions to the European Peace Facility for ammunition procurement in Ukraine
- Financial support of the EUMAM project for military training of Ukrainian soldiers by EU countries
- Establishment of a military partnership with the National Guard in Vermont/USA
- Participation in economic sanctions
In conclusion, the Freedom Party's spokesperson for defense affairs, Volker Reifenberger, criticized the black-green government for eroding Austria's neutrality through various actions, without consulting the population. He emphasized the importance of a credible and robust defense of neutral status, especially in times of multiple crises in Europe and worldwide.
Quelle: Freiheitlicher Parlamentsklub - FPÖ / ots
