ÖVP presses red-green government over Burgenland finances

Burgenland’s ÖVP is demanding greater transparency from the red-green state government over the state’s finances and has submitted 144 requests under the Freedom of Information Act, ORF reported. The party held a parliamentary group meeting in Frauenkirchen on Monday, where it also discussed a possible data centre in Nickelsdorf.

ÖVP state chairman Christoph Zarits and parliamentary group leader Bernd Strobl said state finances would be the focus of their work this autumn. They accused the government of a lack of transparency, diversionary tactics and half-truths.

Zarits said the state’s audit office had published findings that were being ignored or challenged. The ÖVP said around 3.3 billion euros in debt and almost one billion euros in losses in recent years could no longer be glossed over.

The party wants Governor Hans Peter Doskozil of the SPÖ to explain at a special session of the state parliament where the money had gone. The ÖVP has not ruled out seeking a parliamentary inquiry or even filing a no-confidence motion. Strobl said the party wanted to give Doskozil the opportunity to answer its questions fully and honestly at Wednesday’s special session. No talks with other political parties have taken place yet, the party said.

The ÖVP also called for clarification of the links between Doskozil and Johannes Zink. It said Zink was the state government’s lawyer and a close confidant of Doskozil, received contracts from organisations linked to the state and was also expected to oversee Burgenland Energie as chairman of its supervisory board.

Regarding the possible data centre in Nickelsdorf, the ÖVP called for transparency. Zarits said the governor should disclose how far planning had progressed and what effects the project could have on the region.