Austria(Bureau Reports)Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen started his two-day visit to Brussels yesterday with several appointments. He met the EU foreign affairs officer Josep Borrell, Council President Charles Michel, the Austrian EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn (ÖVP) and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The visit to the EU capital was actually planned the previous year and had to be postponed due to the pandemic. Van der Bellen met the head of the commission the day before the presentation of the “Fit for 55” climate package. The package will contain a number of specific proposals on how the European Union can reduce 55 percent of greenhouse gases below the 1990 level by 2030. The Federal President praised von der Leyen’s leadership role in the distribution of vaccines, the reconstruction fund and also in the commitment to climate protection. Von der Leyen understood the urgency of reducing CO2. The “Fit for 55” package is “an ambitious goal”, but achievable. “That is the right direction,” said Van der Bellen after the meeting. “Now the negotiations have to start and they will not be finished tomorrow.”The Federal President also commented on the criticism after Van der Bellen’s congratulations for the new Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. These had been agreed with the Foreign Ministry. In addition, it is necessary to stay in contact with heads of state, “also and especially with Iran”. Van der Bellen saw “a residual hope” for the nuclear deal with Iran. Maybe there is more of a regulation with the hardliner Raisi than with his predecessor, Hassan Rouhani. Raisi has more support domestically. Today Van der Bellen will meet the Belgian King Philippe. The topic will be bilateral issues.
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