A right-wing member of the federal parliament (MP) has retired from politics after coming under fire for belittling a massacre. Fellow Freedom Party (FPÖ) members and left-wing competitors hit out at Werner Königshofer after he felt urged to emphasise that the “Islamic threat has struck Europe a thousand times more often” than self-styled Christian warriors […]
An Austrian may have spent nearly 20 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. Manfred B. called the police after discovering the body of prostitute Heidemarie Mayerhofer at her flat in Salzburg in November 1980. The pimp, who was 29 at the time, was considered a suspect when police were told he […]
A 2,000-square-metre warehouse of a cooking oil company burnt down in Lower Austria keeping 150 fire fighters on their toes. Police estimated that the major blaze that started in Deutsch-Wagram in Lower Austria’s Gänserndorf district on Tuesday afternoon caused an estimated damage of one million Euros. Franz Resperger, spokesman for Lower Austria’s fire fighters stressed […]
Famous as the big wheel, Schönbrunn Palace or the Vienna Boys Choir are the real Viennese Heuriger or wine taverns which sell their own year’s wine and small cold and hot dishes in Vienna, the only capital city in Europe that has vineyards within its city borders. Heurig means “this year’s” as an adjective, so […]
The warm weather ended with a vengeance this week and for parents suddenly casting around for something to do with their youngsters the Bogi Park – a 5,000 square metre play area packed with activities – is a popular choice. Indoor play parks have come a long way since somebody had the bright idea of […]
In recent years, glowing orange pumpkin masks and shouts of “trick or treat” have become increasingly popular as Austrians celebrate the 1 November bank holiday. However, when the first autumn fogs creep across Austria in late October and the first leaves start to fall, Halloween is not the traditional Austrian festival for this time of […]
The Green party wants a public opinion poll in the current tax debate. The Green’s spokesperson Werner Kogler said at a press conference today (Fri) that a public opinion poll was necessary to end “red-black stagnation” meaning SPÖ and ÖVP. Furthermore the Greens demanded polls on abolishing mandatory military service and an anti-corruption law. The […]
Three months ago ÖVP Finance Minister Fekter wanted to sell the Federal Railways (ÖBB), now the ÖVP is pedalling back. The Wirtschaftsblatt newspaper cited ÖVP spokesperson for traffic affairs, Martin Bartenstein, today (Fri) as saying: “The ÖBB and privatisation is like the devil and the holy water.” He added that privatisation could not even be […]
A 16-year-old groper from Wiener Neustadt, Lower Austria, sexually assaulted four women after his girlfriend left him. For a month the “grope phantom” kept Wiener Neustadt apprehensive, now the teenager is facing two and a half years in prison. Investigator Michael Heyderer said: “The youth is facing sexual assault charges in two cases and sexual […]
Erwin Pröll (ÖVP), governor of Lower Austria, suggested taxing the rich “to prevent London-like conditions in Austria”. Pröll said that he feared for the social peace the tighter the national and international financial situation was getting. He had started a lively tax discussion in the ÖVP by suggesting higher taxes for top earners. On Thursday, […]