The leaders of the three parties negotiating for a government in Austria have resumed coalition talks, the Austrian APA news agency reported, quoted by BTA.
Karl Nehammer of the Austrian People's Party (ANP), Andreas Babler of the Austrian Social Democratic Party (ASD) and Beate Meinl-Reisinger of the NEOS did not stop by the journalists waiting for them before their morning meeting at the chancellery. The budget was once again at the center of their discussions, with the last meeting of the budget group taking place over the weekend.
The parties already have an agreement on some issues. In addition to the seven-year budget agreement, the migration subgroup has also agreed to reintroduce the mandatory integration year, according to media reports. Among other things, it should include German language courses and an introduction to Austrian values for asylum seekers. According to the newspaper "Standart", completing these courses should be a prerequisite for a positive decision on granting asylum.
Although the results of the negotiations are still unclear, former European Commissioner and ANP politician Franz Fischler sees no alternative to the three-party coalition. A blue-green coalition would "smash the ANP to pieces", he said in an interview with the newspaper Tiroler Tageszeitung.
"The ANP could cease to exist. And does local industry realize what it would mean for business if the Freedom Party of Austria came to power as chancellor?", he said.