Image: Screenshot ORF
In addition, models such as the corridor guesthouse need to be better known, said Felbermayr in the ORF “press hour” on Sunday. In general, you have to think carefully about all interventions. It’s not good to “walk around with half-baked quick shots.”
In any case, you have to think about something when it comes to pensions. “The more pension dynamics get away from us, the less chance we have of reducing the tax burden,” emphasized the Wifo boss. Like his colleagues, he also believes that we need to think about the pension system without taboos and, for example, consider models from other OECD countries for Austria. This includes, for example, the fact that as life expectancy increases, part of this increase flows into the duration of work – around a ratio of two thirds to one third.
- Video: Wifo boss Gabriel Felbermayr on the debate about pension reforms:
To illustrate the development, he gave an example from the budget. There, the subsidies for pensions would increase by 20 percent, but the pensions themselves would only increase by around ten percent.
- On the subject of wage negotiations for metal workers:
- Also read: Metaller-KV: Wifo boss Felbermayr has a recommendation for the negotiators
To reduce social security contributions
Felbermayr emphasized that a lot would be gained if the information about certain models were improved. He cited the corridor guesthouse as an example. Of the measures announced by the government, such as increasing bonuses for longer working hours and reducing social security contributions for continuing to work in retirement, he considers the latter to be better. This means that people immediately have more money in their pockets. With the health reform as part of the financial equalization, the Wifo boss would have liked more funding for prevention so that people could actually work longer.
- About anti-inflation measures:
When it comes to immigration, for example to attract new workers in nursing, the government needs to think about something in terms of communication. On the one hand, there needs to be a much more active recruitment of workers not only from the EU, but also from third countries. On the other hand, it is legitimate to want to curb the “wild influx” and to secure external borders more closely.
- Felbermayr on the subject of credit guidelines:
When asked about “election sweets” in the budget, Felbermayr said that a striking amount had been done for the armed forces. Overall, however, it is a budget that remained within reasonable limits in this respect. There are no big election treats to be seen in this.
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