Plain text was promised, plain text was also delivered a few days before the Tyrolean state elections: The top candidates discussed the hottest topics Ukraine, energy and expensive housing quite aggressively on Wednesday in the “Krone” studio. ÖVP boss Anton Mattle often got on the defensive.
It is an important state election, because it is the first since the Sebastian Kurz era, the first since the beginning of the war in Ukraine and the first since we really felt inflation in Austria. The “Krone” elephant round on Wednesday evening in Vienna was therefore also quite emotional. The topic of energy electrified everyone. But the first thing on the agenda was the new escalation in the Ukraine war. “How should the West react to this?” was the first question from the moderator duo Gundula Geiginger (Puls 24) and Claus Meinert (“Krone”). Georg Dornauer (SPÖ) said that everything must be done to return to the negotiating table. An opinion that everyone could share. Anton Mattle suggested that this should be done under the leadership of the United Nations. “Europe must now stand together even more closely,” said NEOS candidate Dominik Oberhofer. Green leader Gebi Mair advised becoming independent of gas and oil: “The sun knows no drought and no Putin.” Only the FP was in favor of an end to EU sanctions. When the lights go out in tourism, “not even in the living room bright“The war in Ukraine has massively accelerated an issue, namely the energy crisis. The prices in the energy sector are going through the roof, not only in Tyrol, but throughout Austria. Saving is an important lever in the energy crisis. But what does that mean for winter tourism, which is so important in Tyrol? Cable car companies want to save 15 percent in energy costs, explained Mattle, who is also the chairman of the supervisory board of the state energy supplier Tiwag. The winter season should take place: “The guests are looking for relaxation. Tyrol stands for this value.” Mair, however, criticized infinity pools at 2000 meters above sea level, as in the hotel of VP tourism spokesman Mario Gerber. This is heated with pellets, counters Mattle. “The tourism bashing bothers me. When the lights go out in tourism, it doesn’t get light in the living room either,” said FP boss Markus Abwerzger. The energy problem will be with us for longer than just next winter. Does Tyrol need more hydroelectric power plants? Here Abwerzger identified a “total failure of the ÖVP”, which Mattle also admitted in one area: he admitted that there was a backlog in the collection of metering points. That’s why 3,000 people who want to put photovoltaics on their roofs can’t do it. And what about wind power? Cable car spokesman Franz Hörl announced that he would set up some in his ski area. “Tyrol has a leading company that exports wind turbines all over the world, but does not build them in Tyrol. And that with 14,000 lift supports,” wondered NEOS boss Oberhofer. Valuation loss at Tiwag 104 million euros? The FP boss made a 104 million euro valuation loss at Tiwag: “Did she speculate like Wien Energie?” There were no speculation losses , affirmed Mattle. Abwerzger then put Mattle in need of explanation with an advertisement from the farmers’ association, in which he identified a violation of the ban on donations. Mattle denied that – without saying that the Farmers’ Union is a sub-organization. When it comes to housing and transport, Tyrol has a special position: the highest prices and the highest traffic volume due to 2.5 million trucks on the Brenner Pass. Five years ago, black-green promised a million trucks – and therefore got back on the defensive. A heated discussion, but with conciliatory compliments at the end!
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