Basically correct, but not set in stone: That’s what Governor Thomas Stelzer (VP) said on Friday in the “Kleine Zeítung” about the EU sanctions against Russia – and thus triggered a debate. Because he went on to say: “Before a situation arises in which we massively damage our own lives, that social balance begins to falter, we must of course think about whether this or that currently effective sanction will continue to be used or whether the accuracy of the mark will be affected needs to be improved.”
The federal VP hastened to assure on Friday that the EU sanctions against Russia were unified: “If we do not oppose Putin’s war of aggression against Ukraine, we would send the signal that breaches of international law would be tolerated.” Of course, sanctions would have to but evaluated regularly. Stelzer expressed this. But it is clear “that the EU sanctions against Russia are working, more every day.”
Stelzer himself confirmed on the same day in the OÖN interview: “I am fundamentally in favor of sanctions to force peace. We cannot and will not stand by and watch when people are slaughtered and entire cities are bombed.” But you also have to constantly check “that these sanctions are targeted.”
Green: “Serious mistake”
Criticism came from the Greens: “Now that the sanctions against Russia are taking full effect, I see it as a serious mistake to question them,” said Upper Austria’s Green party leader Stefan Kaineder. Stelzer’s coalition partner – LH deputy Manfred Haimbuchner (FP) – spoke out again against the sanctions against Russia. He considers an evaluation of the sanctions superfluous because the result is already known. They don’t make any sense.
Riedersbach coal-fired power plant could be put back into operation
Meanwhile, Stelzer also announced that, analogous to the reactivation of the coal-fired power plant in Mellach in Styria, the revitalization of the decommissioned coal-fired power plant in Riedersbach in Upper Austria would also be examined. “We are currently examining how that could work. In Riedersbach, however, all the permits have expired, you would be there at the beginning as with a new power plant, all processes would have to be restarted, employees would have to be recruited. But we are examining this because we cannot assume that everything goes on as usual. In times of need, I’m for everything that makes us more independent.”
Kaineder: “Strange”
The move to restart the coal-fired power plant is also “strange” for Kaineder. Rather, initiatives are needed on the way to real energy independence and an immediate start to the expansion of renewables in Upper Austria. IG Windkraft took the same line. “Upper Austria must not drift into the stone age of climate policy! Wanting to build new coal-fired power plants, but rejecting wind power on hills is a climate policy mistake,” said Stefan Moidl, Managing Director of IG, with conviction.
The umbrella organization for renewable energy in Austria (EEÖ) was also alarmed in a broadcast. “Here, under the guise of the current energy crisis, attempts are being made to give old climate killers a new look and make them socially acceptable again,” complained EEÖ President Christoph Wagner.
Source: Nachrichten
