The reform partnership agreed upon in June in Leogang between Austria’s federal, regional, and local governments must now take concrete shape. To align positions, Salzburg’s new governor Karoline Edtstadler invited her counterparts from Upper Austria, Vorarlberg, and Tyrol — Thomas Stelzer, Markus Wallner, and Anton Mattle (all ÖVP) — as well as South Tyrol’s Governor Arno Kompatscher (SVP) for a working meeting on Saturday, which also included attending the “Jedermann” premiere.
“The reform partnership is now getting off the ground,” said Edtstadler during a joint media appearance. She emphasized the importance of collaboration with neighboring regions to ensure that reforms ultimately improve citizens’ lives. The key topics of discussion were energy, education, healthcare, and transport.
Urgent Need for Healthcare Reform
Upper Austria’s Governor Stelzer pointed to urgent issues in the healthcare system. “We don’t have enough medical posts or sufficient opening hours, so many people end up in hospital emergency rooms,” he said. He called for more local decision-making power in healthcare. “It takes too long when everything has to be decided in the capital.”
Vorarlberg’s Governor Wallner noted that the healthcare reform “clearly fell short of expectations.” Bold steps are needed, he added. He called for better coordination between in-patient and out-patient care and the elimination of separate funding streams in healthcare, which would benefit patients the most.
Calls for Smarter Transit Solutions
The topic of transport was also discussed. Tyrol’s Governor Mattle advocated for a bookable slot system for trucks in transit, saying it could save millions of work hours by reducing traffic congestion. He recalled that Chancellor Christian Stocker (ÖVP) had already raised the issue with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. There is movement on the issue, the governors agreed. “There is growing recognition that our current road infrastructure can no longer handle the traffic,” Kompatscher stated.
