Vice-Chancellor Werner Kogler (Greens) today defended the government’s anti-inflation measures, which he criticized as having too little effect and taking effect too late.
The federal government has taken a number of consecutive measures. Kogler was convinced that the effects would soon be seen and at the same time warned that one should not expect “prices to be capped overnight”. “You have to be careful,” said the Vice Chancellor during a visit to Vorarlberg.
Kogler: Preserve purchasing power
The aim is also to maintain the comparatively high purchasing power of Austrians. Important investments have already been made here, for example with tax cuts, the abolition of cold progression and anti-inflation compensation.
“We’ve also been criticized for doing too much,” said Kogler. Further increases in food and energy costs will not be accepted.
“We’re not watching anymore,” he said. By siphoning off excess profits from the energy companies – “the numbers bear that out” – more should quickly reach the people. The law on skimming off profits will come into force as early as June, “it can’t get any faster,” says Kogler.
Effects should then become visible, and he hoped that the announcement of the measure would already cause prices to fall. In the food sector, too, “we’re now going in everywhere”. They are relying on more transparency and an increase in competition control.
