Austria’s world champion ballplayer Jasmin Ouschan has helped fund an international billiard centre in her homeland. The 26-year-old who has almost superstar status for her skills in America and Asia but is less well-known in her ski loving homeland said that she hoped to make the sport more attractive to her Austrian countrymen. She started […]
Koren at the ready for ÖVAG top job
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Stephan Koren has reportedly agreed to take the hot seat at Volksbank AG (ÖVAG). The ex-BAWAG PSK (BAWAG) manager has been rumoured to replace Gerald Wenzel as ÖVAG CEO for some time. Now People’s Party (ÖVP) Finance Minister Maria Fekter announced Koren signalised interest in the position. Fekter said yesterday (Weds) the banker was ready […]
Cornet beats Mayr-Achleitner
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Patricia Mayr-Achleitner dropped out of the WTA Tour tournament of Copenhagen, Denmark, in the round of the best 16. The 25-year-old Tyrolean lost against France’s Alize Cornet in three sets (2-6, 6-2, 5-7). Mayr-Achleitner reached the 220,000-US-dollar (167,400-Euro) tournament’s round of the best 16 by defeating Swedish ace Sofia Arvidsson (7-5, 5-7, 6-1).
Clear no to later start of lessons
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Most Austrians reject a later start of school. Viennese public opinion research agency spoke with 500 Austrians to find out more about people’s opinion regarding the start of primary and secondary schools in the morning. Only one in five (20 per cent) of the interviewed citizens said they were in favour of a reform which […]
Car fuel prices rise further
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The price for petrol keeps increasing, new figures show. Motorists’ association ÖAMTC announced that one litre of diesel fuel cost 1.473 Euros on average yesterday (Tues). The organisation pointed out this was a significant increase compared to last Friday’s average price of 1.439 Euros per litre, let alone to prices 10 years ago. One litre […]
The People’s Party (ÖVP) has denied that it tries to enforce an early end to the parliamentary anti-corruption commission. The panel headed by Greens parliamentary member (MP) Gabriela Moser is investigating the various alleged corrupt connections between politicians and businesspeople since January. It suffered a setback when the ÖVP and its government coalition partner, the […]
Bank rescue dough ‘gone for good’
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The money the state poured into nationalised banks is lost, according to an economic expert. Franz Hahn of the Institute for Economic Research (WIFO) said today (Weds) that the Republic of Austria might not see the billions of Euros it had poured into Hypo Group Alpe Adria (HGAA), Kommunalkredit and Volksbank AG (ÖVAG) ever again. […]
Fekter faces the axe, papers claim
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Rumours that People’s Party (ÖVP) Finance Minister Maria Fekter will soon have to go are increasing following the most recent budget dispute. The finance minister was seen as a contender for ÖVP leadership following the resignation of Josef Pröll as chairman, vice chancellor, and finance minister last year. Economy Minister Reinhold Mitterlehner was given good […]
Pacult slur causes a stir
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Ex-Rapid Vienna coach Peter Pacult is accused of having seriously insulted a fan of the opponents’ team. The former Austrian national team striker – who currently coaches Red Bull-funded RB Leipzig in the fourth-highest German league – called a St Pauli fan a “gay pig” after his team’s 2-1 win over the Hamburg-based club on […]
A cross-country tax on financial transactions is anything but dead, Social Democratic (SPÖ) Finance Secretary Andreas Schieder has claimed. Schieder said today (Weds) that the Austrian government coalition of his faction and the conservative People’s Party (ÖVP) would keep up the pressure for the introduction of such a levy. He told the Kurier that the […]