Ex-VC: NATO weapons going through Austria may violate neutrality

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
15 Dec 2022 16:27
1 Shares

Heinz-Christian Strache, a former Austrian Vice-Chancellor, warns that if NATO weapons going through Austria end up in Ukraine, the country will be in violation of its constitution and neutrality.

Austrian former Vice-Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache (Getty Images)

Heinz-Christian Strache, a former Austrian Vice-Chancellor, argued on Thursday that Austria should not allow the transport of NATO weapons to Ukraine through its borders.

"We should not have agreed to either EU sanctions or NATO arms shipments through Austria," Strache told RIA Novosti.

He referenced Austria's present government's argument, which claimed that any NATO military vehicle traveling through Austrian territory has been destined for the alliance's eastern flank rather than Ukraine.

He warned, however, that if it is confirmed that NATO weapons passing through the neutral Austria ended up going to Ukraine, then this would constitute "a blatant violation of the Austrian constitution and neutrality," Strache said.

Strache has also warned of an impending shortage of raw resources in the EU as a result of the bloc's draconian sanctions against Russia.

The ex-Vice Chancellor, who also served as leader of the Freedom Party of Austria (FPO), said that “the sanctions have increased the foreign trade turnover of raw materials in Russia from $100 billion to $220 billion, while in Europe, prices for energy supplies, raw materials, electricity, and food are rising significantly.”

“Inflation hits industry, businesses, citizens, and households amid record levels of bankruptcies and massive unemployment. More people are fighting poverty, and the economy can afford less production in the face of an inevitable shortage of raw materials,” he said.