Builders feel the competition from abroad

Categories
General News

Austrian builders are starting to feel the pressure of competition from abroad. Since the opening of the domestic market to firms from EU countries more and more foreign firms are setting up business in Austria. Spokeswoman for the builders Maria Epple said: “It is not just the lower wage costs but also the fact that […]

Increasing problem with beggars

Categories
General News

Austrian police have registered a dramatic increase in the number of beggars hanging around outside shopping centres and supermarkets in Austria. Alongside the increasing number of beggars there has also been an increase in the numbers of complaints about people trying to collect money for supposed community initiatives. But in many parts of Austria in […]

Bank rescue dough ‘gone for good’

Categories
Finance

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. […]

Kopf promises support for anti-corruption panel

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Politics

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 […]

Car fuel prices rise further

Categories
Business

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 […]

Oberbank keeps regional focus

Categories
Finance

Franz Gasselsberger has ruled out an engagement of Oberbank in Eastern Europe (EE). The Linz-based finance institute runs some branches in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary but concentrates on activities in Austria and Germany. Now its CEO said the plan was to continue “to grow in an organic way”. Gasselsberger told the Kurier: “We […]

Satek says sale speculations are baseless

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Business

The new owner of struggling supermarket chain Zielpunkt has rubbished rumours that he plans a sale. Business newspapers are speculating about a sale of the firm in the foreseeable future due to stagnating earnings and decreasing turnover. Zielpunkt has 300 stores in Austria. Most of them are situated in capital Vienna. The enterprise has around […]

Austrians believe in economy

Categories
Business

Austrians are cautiously optimistic about the state of their home country’s economy. A new poll by Spectra shows that 49 per cent of residents expect the economy to develop similarly to the past months in the foreseeable future. Around 33 per cent fear a decrease while nine per cent think that the domestic economy will […]

Kulis on collision course

Categories
Culture

Radio star Gernot Kulis is touring Austria. “Kulisionen” is the celebrated comedian’s first one-man stage programme. Its title plays with the German term for collisions (Kollisionen) and his surname. Kulis’ fan base has risen strongly in past years thanks to various regular comedy features on market-leading radio station Ö3. Kulis (www.gernotkulis.at) is one of the […]

Man rescued from crevasse after 14 hours

Categories
General News

A Hungarian ski tourer was rescued after 14 hours stuck in a crevasse in East Tyrol, Austria at the weekend. The skier plunged 10 metres into the crevasse – a friend notified rescuers who after 14 hours were able to get the man out. The conditions were particularly difficult due to extreme weather conditions. Rescue […]