[ad_1]
The federal budget was debated for three days and government groups voted in favor. Requests for referral from the SPÖ were not accepted.
After a three-day debate, the National Council approved the federal budget for 2021 on Thursday night. The coalition ÖVP and Greens factions voted for this, while SPÖ, FPÖ and Neos raised their criticisms chapter by chapter and finally rejected the budget for next year as a whole. The SPÖ’s return proposals for the budgetary and financial framework remained in the minority, as did a large number of motions for resolutions.
As in the current year, the 2021 budget will be determined by the crisis in the crown. With expenditures of 97.8 billion euros and revenues of 75.2 billion euros at the federal level alone, the government expects a deficit of 22.6 billion euros. That is 1.6 billion euros more than was supposed in mid-October. A general government deficit of 9.8 percent and a national debt rate of 87.9 percent are assumed. Some of those receiving the most money despite the crisis are the judiciary, the army and the police. In addition, there are economic, climate and research policy priorities.
Praise Gewessler from the opposition
While the ÖVP saw the budget as a fight for human life, jobs and business, and the Greens recognized a budget tinted in their party’s colors, the opposition was heavily criticized. The SPÖ missed a declaration of war against unemployment, the FPÖ spoke of a responsibility leak and the Neos would have liked to start the economic engine.
Criticism on the last day was more moderate, especially regarding Minister Leonore Gewessler’s (Greens) budget for the environment and infrastructure. The SPÖ highly praised the planned environment and rail investments, while the FPÖ, which owned the infrastructure under the turquoise blue, wanted to acknowledge a complete failure of the minister in the transport sector. Gewessler himself spoke of the fact that in Austria more money than ever was spent on climate protection. There are increases in the environmental budget for the Energy and Climate Fund (plus 117.6 percent) or for energy policy (plus 555.6 percent).
(WHAT)
