FPÖ demands resignation of VP mandate after heckling

The reason is an interjection from the mandatary in a debate that was actually about the transparency report on the ORF. However, the statement in question revolves around the assassination attempt on Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. According to the Freedom Party’s interpretation, Hammer thought that it was his own fault.

In fact, the recording of the meeting suggests this interpretation. The following is the passage according to the provisional stenographic protocol available to the APA. Hafenecker had previously criticized the ORF’s reporting on the Fico assassination attempt: “If Mr. Prime Minister Fico (reputation from the ÖVP: The hate preacher!) hadn’t used such rhetoric, then this assassination attempt wouldn’t actually have happened! Yes, that was the case the succus of the report (Mr. Michael Hammer: That’s true too, yes!).”

However, Hammer sees himself as misunderstood and does not want to make the call based on this statement: “I neither agree with this opinion attributed to me, nor would I ever make such a claim or approve of it,” he emphasizes in a broadcast. He is against all violence and of course against all violence against politicians.

• Read more: Fico can be contacted, the assassin is said to be a radicalized “lone wolf”.

Hofer gave a call to order

The current Third National Council President Norbert Hofer (FPÖ) had given Hammer a call to order for the heckler. The VP MP sees this as an “assuming character”. With the statement he was referring to an earlier call against FP chairman Herbert Kickl and his choice of words. Hammer later received a second order because he had described Kickl as “manic-depressive”.

In a broadcast, Hafenecker called the interjection regarding Fico “tasteless, disrespectful and deeply despicable.” If Hammer still has at least a shred of decency left in him, then he knows what he has to do now: “Namely resign immediately!”