Plakolm has family help for Ukrainians checked – the press.com

At the beginning of March, the regulation for family allowance and childcare allowance for Ukraine displaced persons expired. Therefore, ÖVP, SPÖ, NEOS and GREEN brought in the budget committee two weeks ago to extend them retrospectively. Initially, a sequel was planned for one year. However, the government parties have decided in the main committee of the National Council with the help of an amendment to extend the measures until October 31, 2025.

It is particularly interesting to have the background of the change: There are reports from the practice that the measures are not used in some cases and develop into a “pull factor”, according to the office of family and integration minister Claudia Plakolm (ÖVP).

Specifically, the state of Salzburg should have warned that there is a risk of « exploiting the funds ». In the past few months, a large number of Roma and Sinti families from the Transkarpatia Oblast in West Ukraine has come to the « press », Salzburg's special representative Anton Holzer. This is the result of a foreign police review commissioned by the state. However, the region is not affected by the war, explains Holzer. In addition, the persons concerned (there were about 300 to 350 people in large families) would not speak Russian or Ukrainian, but Romani dialects. The schools or the integration programs offered are not geared towards this.

Take care of a change in Germany

In addition, you look at Germany in Salzburg. There have been considerations there for a long time to delete the citizens' money for Ukrainians from the war affected by the war. According to the concern, this could motivate many to continue traveling to Austria.

Plakolm now wants to put the regulation on family services for Ukrainians to the test. From now on, a task force is to work on new criteria « so that a stop is put forward to abuse », as the ministry says. In addition to the fact that people from Ukraine have had protection in Austria since the beginning of the war, people continue to confess, says Plakolm to the « press ». But: “We have no place for those who take advantage of our systems. We will also consistently implement this with the Taskforce. « 

The Greens do not think of the government parties' actions. “It is our duty to support people who have fled the brutal Russian war of aggression. Solidarity should not have an expiry date, ”says family spokeswoman Barbara Neßler. The decision to extend family performance by only seven months does not offer planning security, but creates new uncertainties.

The SPÖ justifies the shorter duration of the extension with the change in the geopolitical framework. In the eyes of the NEOs, a data situation about the Ukrainians living in Austria would have to be created quickly in the next few weeks and months, on the basis of which one had to find binding solutions.

There are already some data. The Austrian Integration Fund (ÖIF) brought out a “factsheet” to the Ukrainian population in Austria at the beginning of this year. It is signposted that the level of education of the displaced people was generally very high at least in 2024 – as was already in 2022 and 2023. However, there is no distinction from different regions according to origin. 87,949 Ukrainians lived in Austria on January 1, 2025.

Health insurance extended

At the same time as the – albeit shorter as a planned – extension of the family benefits, a regulation by Minister of Social Affairs Korinna Schumann (SPÖ) also passed the main committee with which the inclusion of the Ukrainians in statutory health insurance was extended by the end of May. Until then, you want to find a new solution for those affected in this area.

The FPÖ rejects the regulation. The blue mandate Norbert Nemeth said to determine whether people are really necessary, the blue mandatar Norbert Nemeth said.