The Ministry of Finance confirmed corresponding media reports on Sunday. Whether the voucher is actually due should then be checked “on a random basis”. As reported in detail by the OÖN, the original plan for the energy suppliers to pay out the money encountered numerous legal and practical hurdles.
The opposition shakes their heads
The government’s plans are causing the opposition to shake their heads. “Sending a voucher to high earners in the hope that they won’t redeem it is the height of watering can politics and irresponsibility,” criticized Neos business spokesman Gerald Loacker. “If the government isn’t bringing anything together anyway, it now wants to carry out random checks on 4 million households,” said SPÖ energy spokesman Alois Schroll in a broadcast. “Overall, the government’s approach to energy cost compensation is almost ‘Austrian department store’ or ‘vaccination fleet’ level,” said FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl.
According to media reports, the letter with the voucher explains that you can only redeem it at the energy company if you are not one of the top earners excluded from the campaign. Otherwise there is a risk of a refund. The Ministry of Finance wants to check this randomly after the energy suppliers have settled the credits granted there.
“Unbureaucratic and legally secure”
According to the newspaper report, the first legal details are to be discussed in parliament next week. The voucher should therefore be sent by the beginning of April at the latest. An exchange with representatives of the energy industry is to take place on Monday. “It is important to us that the financial relief is unbureaucratic and legally secure,” said Finance Minister Magnus Brunner (ÖVP) in a statement on Sunday.
It was also said that the second 150-euro cost-of-living adjustment for particularly needy households should be paid out “by the relevant authorities” “as soon as possible” following a decision in Parliament. This applies to the unemployed, recipients of minimum income, compensatory allowances and study grants as well as mobility grant recipients.
Criticism doesn’t stop
Criticism of the way the government is trying to cushion the impact of higher energy prices continued over the weekend. Wifo boss Gabriel Felbermayr said on ORF radio on Saturday that it would make more sense to support the financially weaker by simply automatically adjusting social benefits to inflation.
For the SPÖ, the processing of the energy cost compensation is “more absurd from day to day” because people should now find out for themselves after the voucher has been sent whether they are entitled to claim at all. For Schroll, the “voucher solution” also raises questions: “What happens if a company refuses to accept the voucher? Who guarantees error-free and quick processing? What happens in the event of disputes? When will the citizens concerned come to their support?” said the Social Democrat. The SPÖ proposes a more practicable procedure, specifically reducing the VAT on electricity and gas for a limited period and a 300-euro one-time payment for low-income households to be processed via the tax office.
Source: Nachrichten
