Parliament weighs Kasberg funding and Linz airport takeover

The future of the Kasberg ski area and plans for Upper Austria to take full ownership of Linz Airport are among the main issues before the state parliament, ORF reports.

Up to 17 million euros could be provided to keep the ski area operating, but a planned takeover is not yet certain. Those involved have not reached agreement on all the terms.

The parliament is also expected to approve the state’s full takeover of Linz Airport. The airport is currently owned equally by the state and the city of Linz. The state plans to buy the city’s share for around 1.3 million euros. The SPÖ and FPÖ support the move, while the Greens want more clarity on the costs the state could face in coming years.

All six parties represented in the parliament oppose a planned construction-waste landfill in Weibern. They are calling on the federal government to require an assessment of need before approving any new landfill.

Other topics include railway crossings, data centres, wind power and local services. The FPÖ is calling for longer deadlines to secure railway crossings and a halt to planned university cuts. The Greens want large data centres to be subject to an environmental impact assessment, including projects such as Google’s planned development in Kronstorf.

The NEOS have asked state economy councillor Markus Achleitner of the ÖVP about a planned wind farm in Sandl, focusing on proposed wind-power exclusion zones and whether they comply with EU rules. The MFG wants longer opening hours for unmanned self-service shops.