Almost one out of three Austrians plan to spend less next year. Insurance company Generali conducted a poll to find that 30 per cent of people residing in the small European Union (EU) and Eurozone member intended to tighten their belts in 2012. Seventeen per cent told the insurer they would cut back their holiday […]
Austrians brace for harsh health reform
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The People’s Party (ÖVP) wants to drastically reduce Austria’s health sector spending. ÖVP whip Karlheinz Kopf said yesterday (Thurs) he was currently trying to convince the Social Democrats’ (SPÖ) debt brake negotiators that there was a savings potential of 1.8 billion Euros until 2017. SPÖ Health Minister Alois Stöger remained tight-lipped regarding details of the […]
Raidl says income tax must drop
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Austrian National Bank (OeNB) President Claus Raidl has called on the government to lower taxes on labour. Raidl told Die Pressr today (Weds) the taxation burden on labour must decline. He called Austria’s income tax system as “insane”. International organisations like the OECD, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and the International Monetary Fund […]
Austria keeps top rating
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Moody’s has confirmed Austria’s credit rating. The influential rating agency said on Friday it decided not to lower the country’s rating from the best-possible grade of AAA. Moody’s added that it did not touch the Austrian economy’s outlook either. The rating agency explained Austria’s economy was doing well thanks to its muscular export industry. Moody’s […]
Semperit braces for activity decrease
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Semperit boss Thomas Fahnemann has said he expected next year to be “significantly more difficult”. Fahnemann told the Kurier today (Tues) the economy would not suffer as dramatically as in 2009. However, the German businessman warned that the economic environment might worsen next year compared to 2011. Semperit is a leading manufacturer of medical gloves, […]
Ritz Vienna at the ready
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Vienna will get a Ritz next year, it was confirmed yesterday (Tues). A group of Kazakh investors signed contracts with Austrian real estate company Bauträger Austria Immobilien GmbH (BAI) in Vienna. The business partners said afterwards that a new hotel of the famous brand would open in the city in the second quarter of 2012. […]
Charity Caritas have warned that the number of people living in poverty in Upper Austria is on the increase. Currently 70,000 people are recorded as living in such poor conditions with even more people now seeking help over the Christmas period. Caritas is an international Roman Catholic relief charity that works to help the poor […]
Strache security punches party-goer
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Freedom Party (FPÖ) boss Heinz-Christian Strache is in hot water after a bodyguard put a man into hospital last weekend. One of Strache’s three personal security guards attacked another guest of a club in Vienna-Favoriten on Saturday night. The man – understood to be an internationally successful banker – threw a ham roll and ice […]
Slalom victory for Schild in Courchevel
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Marlies Schild took first place for the second time, in the second race this season in the first round of the women’s slalom world cup. The race took place in Courchevel, France over the weekend and marks Schild’s 30th victory in world cup slalom racing. “It is great,” said Schild who beat Tanja Putianien in […]
Volksbank AG (ÖVAG) plans to dismiss one in five employees in a desperate attempt to avoid going bust. The loss-making bank, which received an emergency injection of one billion Euros from the state three years ago, said yesterday (Thurs) around 250 employees would lose their jobs in the coming months. This figure means that 20 […]