Haider threatens Carinthian split







--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


VIENNA. Freedom Party (FP) Carinthian Governor Joerg Haider has threatened to withdraw the Carinthian FP parliamentary faction from the national FP and also from the new coalition government unless the government
stops two former FP politicians from drawing special salaries. A withdrawal of the five Carinthian FP parliamentary members from the government would leave the new coalition between the FP and the People's Party with a wafer
thin majority of 92 to 91.

Haider also said that the Carinthian FP would be prepared to form a separate party "along the lines of the CSU" in Bavaria, Germany. Haider said that he would urge Carinthian FP members to form a new
parliamentary faction unless the government compelled former FP Vice Chancellor Susanne Riess-Passer and former FP Infrastructure Minister Mathias Reichhold to give up their minister's salaries. Haider argued that for politicians to continue drawing salaries after leaving office represented an abuse of privileges