EL News - In October-November 2008 one of the Austrians’ main concerns still was inflation (Eurobarometer). Some months later, what’s the main current situation about employment and families? How are the Austrians being affected by the crisis and how do they feel about national and European policies?

Günther Hopfgartner - Of course the Austrians are affected by the crisis, and will be even more in the coming months.  The unemployment has risen dramatically. Just today Siemens Austria announced that more than 600 employees will lose their jobs, all of them highly qualified software specialists. Over 80 000 people, mainly in the industrial sector are working for short term only. However, compared to other European countries, Austria hasn't reached their high levels of unemployment.

EL News - Only 39% of Austrians think that EU membership is positive. Since the citizen’s motivations may be different, what is your party proposing in order to show that membership and the process of EU integration could be different?

Günther Hopfgartner - Opinion polls show regularly that the majority of Austrians are very EU skeptical and think that Austria has to pay too much membership fees and give away too many competences towards the EU bureaurocrats.But in the same polls, a big majority of Austrians are against leaving the European Union.

So you see that the majority of citizens criticize the EU, but they are not willing to leave the community. Especially now, polls show that more people than before see the positive sides of belonging to a bigger entity. The People’s Party (conservative) main slogan is: "Times are getting harder, Europe gets more important" - expressing that Europe is only necessary and positive in times of economic and political crisis.

The CPA (KPÖ) stands for a concept of a completely different type of European integration. We are against the Lisbon Treaty not because we are against European integration but because we are against a neo-liberal, militarist and undemocratic concept of integration. We stand for close cooperation of European progressive parties and other social forces to develop and concretize another Europe. Our party supports all efforts and initiatives in this direction. From the very beginning we have engaged ourselves in the building of the European Left party on a democratic pluralist basis and with a clear alternative left profile.

EL News - Austria is at the core of Europe. Since there are concerns about the difficulties regarding the effective free movement of people inside the EU but at the same time some public fear about external immigration, how can Austria be affected by UE’s policies on the issue?  What’s the CPA's position about it and what proposals would you make at the EU Parliament?

Günther Hopfgartner - Geographically, Austria is certainly right in the middle of our continent, and has historically connections towards Eastern countries that we are still calling “new member states”. But Austria, together with Germany, introduced restrictions concerning the free movement of people coming from these countries. These restrictions are still valid and there are talks about their extension for another 5 years.

While the Austrian capital has been making huge profits from the new member states and Croatia as well, in this last country people were not allowed to work in Austria. The CPA has been against these restrictions from the beginning and favours the same rights for all citizens. Concerning external immigration, the CPA shares the opinions of the other left parties. We are against a concept of a “fortress Europe” and we are in favour of equal rights for all persons living in Europe.

The countries of the EU have to immediately develop a sustainable policy of economic and social support towards underdeveloped countries. And the EU must fulfill the obligation of an anti-militarist and peace policy towards neighboring regions. The CPA will work together with its sister parties of the EL as well as with all other political forces working on this direction.