::Political decisions

The response on the part of political decision makers to the situation in the Museumsquartier has mostly been one of indifference, ignorance or passivity. Above all, there has been no readiness on the part of the Austrian Federal Government, majority proprietor of the Museumsquartier, to express a clear political will in favour of a critical cultural production in the Museumsquartier and to put the necessary structures into place.

Up to now, a willingness to negotiate has been signalled only by the City of Vienna, which, in a city council meeting in June 2000, moved for the continued residence of Public Netbase t0 in the Museums Quarter. Moreover, the Vienna municipal authorities acknowledged the cultural importance of Public Netbase t0 by indicating willingness to step in with additional financial support should Public Netbase's existence be in danger.

Attempts on the part of the federal ÖVP organisation, and its leader Wolfgang Schüssel, to influence the autonomous Vienna subsidiary out of consideration for the FPÖ have failed. The result is that a majority of Social Democrats, Greens, and Liberals capable of ensuring the continued existence of Public Netbase t0 at least until the end of 2000 has been able to form in the city parliament.