Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner was able to award the former EU commissioner Johannes Hahn today, Tuesday, with the “Silver Comment Cross with the star of the honor for merit for the state of Lower Austria”.
Johannes Hahn is “a special personality who has acquired great merit, for Lower Austria, for the Republic and, above all, in Europe,” said the governor in her eulogy. His life’s performance is “supported by attitude, conviction, a strong character and, above all, a strong European spirit,” said Mikl-Leitner about the honored: “You have shaped our country, the Republic and Europe.” Hahn “never searched for the quick applause”, but always “hard -working and delivered real substance,” said the governor: “Loss and honesty distinguish you.”
As an EU commissioner, Hahn “always put together the cooperation” and “searched for the dialogue”, she also praised Hahn’s commitment to the regions: “You were the architect of a new regional policy because you always knew that Europe can only be strong if there are strong regions.” For Lower Austria, too, the former EU commissioner was “always a strong partner”, she emphasized: “You built bridges between Brussels and the regions, between people and the institutions.” Hahn was “never a man of big words, but always a man with great effect”, she stated: “With great impact for Lower Austria, for the Republic and for the European Union.”
In his words of thanks, Johannes Hahn first looked back on his Lower Austrian roots. As Minister of Science, he was allowed to “help to make a science center from Lower Austria”, he referred to the scientific institutions in Krems, Klosterneuburg, Wiener Neustadt or Tulln: “Today Lower Austria is a science location par excellence”. Looking back at his time as an EU Commissioner, he reminded, among other things, the initiative for European regional policy, which was launched together with Lower Austria: “Today, regional policy is an important part of the European Union.”
Johannes Hahn, born in 1957, was EU Commissioner for Household and Administration from 2019 to 2024. From 2014 to 2019 he was an EU Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Extension negotiations, previously he was responsible for regional policy from 2010 to 2014. From 2007 to 2010 Hahn was an Austrian Federal Minister of Science and Research.
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