EU Parliament President Metsola Brings European Issues to Austrian Parliament
EU Parliament President Metsola will address the Austrian National Council on European affairs, participating in a National Council resolution.
EU Parliament President Metsola will address the Austrian National Council on European affairs, participating in a National Council resolution. / Picture: © European Parliament, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
The President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, will make a statement to the Austrian National Council next week. This was announced today during the presidential conference of the National Council. Her statement will be followed by a debate on European affairs. Metsola's visit to the Parliament will also include meetings with National Council President Wolfgang Sobotka and Federal Council President Günter Kovacs.
The presidential conference of the National Council also set the agendas for the plenary sessions on Wednesday and Thursday. On Thursday, before the Metsola statement, there will be a question and answer session with Labor and Economy Minister Martin Kocher. On that day, amendments to the Natural Gas and Electricity Levy Act are on the agenda. These changes are aimed at making electricity producers who do not lower electricity prices pay a higher energy crisis contribution, given lower wholesale prices.
The invitation of Roberta Metsola, after former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in 2016 and the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Liliane Maury Pasquier, in 2019, is the third of its kind under the Rules of Procedure of the National Council. The possibility of inviting prominent figures in European and international politics to make a statement in the National Council was introduced by an amendment to the Rules of Procedure in 2015.
In addition, at the initiative of the LGBTIQ Intergroup in the presidential conference, it was also decided to let the parliament building shine in the colors of the rainbow during the annual Vienna Pride. As a sign of the Parliament as an open house for all, the central portico will be illuminated this year between June 12 and 18.