AUSTRIA: HAIDER REMAINS DEFIANT OVER JOINING COALITION

Описание: (2 Feb 2000) German/Eng/Nat

While much of Europe has denounced an agreement bringing the extreme right Freedom Party into Austria's governing coalition, Joerg Haider remains defiant, his party will succeed in the push to be in a powerful position in the new government.

The controversial leader of Austria's far-right Freedom party was speaking to journalists on Wednesday.

Haider said the list outlining the proposed division of ministries published earlier by the Austrian news agency was broadly accurate.

His Freedom Party reportedly would have finance, social affairs, defence, justice and a new infrastructure ministry.

Presidential approval would give right-wing nationalists the largest role ever in running a European Union member country.

Haider says the president "quite liked" the government program worked out with Schuessel's Austrian People's Party but requested some changes.

He also commented on European protest against his party's involvement in the proposed coalition, labelling it "stupid" to judge any government before it's programme is presented.

The Freedom Party leader also commented on an article published in a Danish newspaper.

It said Austria's own president, Thomas Klestil and Viktor Klima of the Social Democrats, had asked European Union members to threaten to isolate Austria if Haider's party comes to power.

Haider said he refused to believe the report was true.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I think the president knows that there is not so much time. Because we have to make decisions. Because the Austrian people expect to have a government because they are waiting now since the third of October to have a government on the broad basic in the Austrian parliament. And then we can start to work for this country."
SUPER CAPTION: Joerg Haider, Leader of Freedom Party

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"There is no mounting international pressure. It's a discussion. It's not a friendly discussion. And we take it serious. But we are not open for the argument that foreign countries will decide the internal policy in Austria. We are a vivid democracy.
SUPER CAPTION: Joerg Haider, Leader of Freedom Party

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I think it's not useful to have public discussions without fundamentals because as you know, our critics, they don't know who forms the government. They don't know who belongs to the government. They don't know what's the programme of this new government, but they make a protest."
SUPER CAPTION: Joerg Haider, Leader of Freedom Party

SOUNDBITE: (German - rough translation)
"We refuse to believe this. Because we believe that no party or politician in this country despises this country so much that he would damage the interests of his country out of political spite - because he had hoped for something else."
SUPER CAPTION: Joerg Haider, Leader of Freedom Party

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"We will study the results of our negotiations and afterwards we will meet tomorrow and have discussions with him about forming a government and we will present some proposals."
SUPER CAPTION: Joerg Haider, Leader of Freedom Party

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