Austrian Government's Qatar Gas Claims Disputed by FPÖ

Freedom Party (FPÖ) parliamentarian Christian Hafenecker questioned the Austrian government's alleged strategic energy partnership with Qatar, saying a parliamentary inquiry showed no contracts or LNG deliveries from Gulf states. The inquiry revealed that the promised "strategic partnership" was merely a propaganda effort without tangible supply security.

Former chancellor and now European Investment Bank vice‑president Karl Nehammer replied that an LNG shipment arranged in October 2022 arrived in Rotterdam in December 2023, delivering 137,000 m³ of gas – enough to supply about 65,000 households for a year. Economics minister Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer confirmed there are no long‑term gas contracts with Qatar or other Gulf countries, noting that while Qatar exported over ten billion m³ of gas to Europe last year (3.7 % of EU imports), the volume is not directed specifically to Austria. He also reiterated that Austria will not resume Russian gas supplies.