Mokstein does not appear at the social summit of the European Union, and Curtis takes Kosher with him

For the new Minister of Health and Social Affairs Wolfgang Moksten (The Greens), this was an opportunity to learn about politics at the European level: the EU Social Summit of Heads of State and Government with social partners begins today in Porto. The meeting in Portugal is the first major physical summit since December of last year.

But the side entrant stays in Vienna. Federal Chancellor Sebastian Curtis (Vice President) brings Labor Secretary Martin Kocher with him.

This has sparked heavy criticism in the SPÖ. Yesterday, Federal Director General Christian Deutsch spoke of the “incomprehensible approach” that the Minister of Social Affairs is not at the summit, with “poverty reduction across Europe and crucial social issues at stake”.

Mückstein himself did not want to comment on the missed opportunity when asked by OÖNachrichten. In the section, it was only indicated that the composition of the delegation was the responsibility of the advisor. Macstein will use this opportunity to define his “own social policy priorities”. Green Deputy Chancellor Werner Kugler responded to a request in the same way.

Only behind closed doors did the party hear that the procedure “was not perfect”.

At the chancellery, no one wanted to know anything about Mokstein’s slowdown. It is an informal meeting of heads of state and government not a meeting of social affairs ministers. Delegations will participate in workshops, Austria in one on the topic of “work” – so the Minister of Labor was the logical accompaniment.

A job from the ministers of the Greens

Mokstein communicated the priorities stated in a joint letter with other EU ministers from the social field to the summit participants. In it, they insist on an EU minimum wage directive and remember the goal of ending homelessness in the European Union by 2030.

After all, the signatories share the fate of Mokstein: none of them are in Porto either.