Since February 2000, a coalition government comprised of
the right-wing FPÖ and the Christian democratic ÖVP
has been in power in Austria. And since then demonstrations
have taken place against the FPÖ every Thursday, and
information and dance events have been held in front of the
Chancellory every Saturday.
The measures taken by the government have a two-faced character.
Towards the international community and the less differentiating
Austrian public, it presents itself as a fast reformer of
those areas that were neglected during the rule of the past
coalition government comprised of the social democratic SPÖ
and the ÖVP. The fine details and the long-term destruction
taking place in areas with less media coverage are being veiled
by a pension reform, compensation for forced-labor during
the Nazi regime and a budget consolidation.
The innovative, contemporary art and culture scene in Austria
has developed a substantial structure since the 1970s with
the help of state subsidies and investments. Over 400 cultural
initiatives in the cities and non-urban communities serve
to impart contemporary art, conduct socio-cultural work with
young people, and provide a platform for critical confrontation
with political issues, such as nationalism, racism, etc. In
addition to its important sociopolitical function, this non-profit
cultural sector constitutes one of the few areas with a growing
employment rate. Particularly the confrontation with democracy
and sociopolitical issues provided this sector with an early
warning against the FPÖ and its (cultural) policies.
The current cultural advisor to Jörg Haider, head of
the government of the Austrian province of Carinthia, already
wrote in 1980: "Scientists and artists, who represent
the German Nation through their work, should receive increased
promotion. Genuine German endeavors should be supported throughout
the entire sector of art and culture. Foreign and supplanted
elements, though not to be declared bad as such, should be
increasingly identified as non-German." This background
illuminates Jörg Haider's decision to refuse to contribute
financially to the famed international Ingeborg Bachmann Prize
for Literature, and to create a promotion prize for Carinthian
authors instead.
The interventions of the ruling government aim at undermining
cultural promotion for critical organizations and institutions
as well as destroying their structures. The strategy is manifold:
termination of rental contracts for federal, provincial or
community property, cancellation of subsidies, increased postage
rates for newsletters, donation mailing campaigns and program
folders. The government reserves the right to subsidize the
postage charges for individual organizations and thereby intends,
according to the chairman of the ÖVP, Andreas Khol, "to
separate the wolves from the sheep."
Political neutrality towards the ruling government is being
deemed a new criterion for receiving support - government
subsidies as politically dedicated bribe money from those
parties which have just come into power in the government.
Democracy has come to an end when there is no longer any differentiation
between the national authorities or municipal officesstate
and community, on the one hand, and the presiding government,
on the other hand.
If a person dares to reflect upon the next step in the current
dealings of the FPÖ and the ÖVP in the name of cultural
promotion, if the government only supports that which is in
favor of itself, then why should there be continued support
for the oppositional parties in opposition? In keeping with
such logic, the federal leader of the Green Party, Van der
Bellen, and the federal leader of the SPÖ, Gusenbauer,
would already be acting on the brink of organized crime. Jörg
Haider has already proposed that any critical voices in Austria
should be prosecuted fiercely and without mercy. Fifty-five
years after the suppression overthrough of the Nazi regime
and the reestablishment of a new democratic Republic of Austria,
the basic fundamental right of freedom to voice one'sof expression
opinion is being massively restricted. Intimidation, threats
and criminalization of those who think differently have always
constituted essential factors under of totalitarian and misanthropic
governments. The Austrian federal government committed itself
in the preamble of its government program to uphold the basic
democratic rights which also form the basis of the European
Union. However, the head of the government, Federal Chancellor
Schüssel, has not yet found it necessary to put Jörg
Haider in his place for having made this political advance,
nor to protect the fundamental values of the international
community from this impending danger.
The current political developments in Austria have become
particularly blatant with concern to the situation of the
media. In 1998 the public radio and television monopoly in
Austria came to an end. Private radio stations began broadcasting
for the first time. It required years of conflict-ridden confrontation
with politicians to create the basis for private, culturally
motivated and non-commercial media projects. These institutions
were confronted with budget cuts immediately after the present
government came into power - the first measure for disciplining
any reporting that was critical of the government. Shortly
following, critical journalists and editors from public radio
and television were relieved of their offices or transferred
to less "sensitive" positions.
The Austrian print media are demonstrating increasing conformity.
In addition, the interpretive power of the "Haider-friendly"
and "EU-critical" Austrian daily paper "Neue
Kronen Zeitung" prevails over "Austrian reality"
with a readership of 42.5%. The sanctions measures imposed
by the EU-14 are therefore purely perceived as a media spectacle:
portraying the refusal to be photographed with Austrian politicians,
in contrast with the unproblematic unqueried election of Herwig
van Staa, Mayor of Innsbruck, as President of the European
Council's Chamber of Communities and RegionsCongress of Local
and Regional Authorities of Europe. As an honorary functionary,
heHe was the sole politician who agreed to preside over a
ceremonial event held by extreme right-wing academic clubs
only a few days before his election by the Congress.
If the Austrian chancellor and the foreign minister are unconcerned
by the pending examination into government work by an EU delegation,
then it is because the delegation will hardly be able to delve
deeply enough into the aforementioned areas. Disregarded by
the traditional media, and robbed of its structures by the
government, Austria is presenting itself "in a normal
state" by omitting the developments described here, and
is thus founding a broad basis in Europe for right-wing populists
and the enemies of democracy.
We therefore expect the countries of the European Union to
make a qualified contribution that is fitting to observe and
counteract all antidemocratic developments manifest in Austria
- as well as in any other EU country - in addition to any
individual, formal acts of taking distance from the Austrian
federal government. Such increased awareness of antidemocratic
developments must be primarily directed towards Austria, since
the participation of the FPÖ in the Austrian coalition
government could set a precedent for other EU members, not
only leading to the internal questioning of democratic principles,
but finally also constituting the downfall of the European
integration process.
Gabriele Gerbasits and Gerhard Ruiss for Kulturpolitische Kommission (Ständige gemeinsame
Vertretung österreichischer Berufs- und Interessenvertretungen
der Kunst und Kultur)