Kunasek criticises drought aid and Austria’s climate law

Styria Governor Mario Kunasek has criticised the federal government’s drought relief measures as insufficient and called for faster financial support for farmers, according to ORF Steiermark. He also rejected what he described as excessive climate measures, saying they could harm the industrial location.

Speaking in the final ORF Steiermark summer interview of the year, Kunasek said the government’s planned aid did not provide enough liquidity for agriculture. The measures so far consist of deferrals for social insurance contributions and interest-free loan arrangements worth around 140 million euros.

Kunasek called the package a minimum compromise and warned that delayed funding could leave farmers dependent on banks. He said the measures had taken too long to agree and were ultimately disappointing.

The interview also covered Austria’s new climate law and the country’s goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2040. Kunasek described the law as another political compromise and said measures going beyond the European Union’s already strict requirements would be harmful to businesses.

He said the government must recognise that Styria is an industrial location that has come under pressure in recent years, particularly in the automotive sector. Instead, he called for measured policies that support strong businesses and take the public with them.