Cut promotion expenses to pay parliament renovation, says FPÖ

Categories
Politics

The Freedom Party (FPÖ) has called on the federal government ministries to spend less on advertisements in order to help finance the nearing renovation of the parliament. The parliament – located in Vienna’s Innere Stadt district – must undergo extensive refurbishments in the coming years due to the derelict state of some areas of the […]

Europe bemoans death of Otto Habsburg

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Politics

Otto Habsburg, the last heir to the throne of the former Austrian-Hungarian Empire and oldest member of the Habsburg family, has died at the age of 98. Habsburg “peacefully passed away” yesterday morning (Mon), his family announced. They explained all of his seven children were at his death bed in Pöcking, Bavaria, Germany. He will […]

Immigration up as debate fails to calm down

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Politics

Immigration is on the rise, new figures show. The federal interior ministry – which is headed by Johanna Mikl-Leitner of the People’s Party (ÖVP) – said today (Tues) that 114,000 people migrated to Austria while only 87,000 left the country in 2010. The ministry pointed out that only 107,000 settled in the country in 2009. […]

Storms and downpours in Lower Austria

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General News

Vast areas of the largest Austrian province were hit by strong winds and intense rainfall yesterday evening (Thurs). Several districts were affected, officials in Lower Austria said today. Twenty-eight fire brigades were in action to free roads from mud and cellars from water. Collapsed trees brought traffic to a halt on some of the province’s […]

Vienna jobless rate shoots up

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Business

Viennese politicians and businesspeople have failed to reduce the city’s jobless rate. Official figures presented today (Fri) show that the number of unemployed people residing in the Austrian capital rose by 6.9 per cent. Overall, nearly 74,000 Viennese citizens were out of work this month. The Federal Labour Market Service (AMS) explained Vienna and Carinthia […]

Vastic fined for court no-show

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Sports

A footballer widely regarded as one of the best players who ever stepped on a pitch in Austria has been fined for staying away from a trial. Ivica Vastic was ordered to go into the witness box in a hearing dealing with alleged malpractices at his former club, Sturm Graz, yesterday (Thurs). However, the ex-Sturm […]

Algerian accused of crimes in Germany faces extradition

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General News

A 36-year-old Algerian will be extradited to Germany, officials in Upper Austria announced today (Fri). The man was caught after a break-in. Police in the Austrian province explained they decided to hand him over to colleagues in neighbouring Germany after finding out they had issued an international arrest warrant on him. The African is accused […]

Export economy is back on track

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Business

The Austrian import and export industry is nearing pre-crisis levels, figures presented today (Fri) confirm. Federal statistics organisation Statistik Austria announced that firms based in the country exported products worth 109.37 billion Euros in 2010, up by 16.7 per cent compared to 2009. The value of exports dropped by nearly 19 per cent from 2008 […]

AUA boss bemoans ‘bad luck’

Categories
Business

An Austrian Airlines (AUA) manager has claimed the struggling company “had lots of bad luck” in the past few months as he warns it will fail to meet previously set goals this year. AUA co-chief Andreas Bierwirth said today (Fri) the loss-making carrier “will not make our initial target” of making a profit this year. […]

Komorowski and Fischer to meet one year after ash cloud controversy

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Politics

Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski will visit Austria later this month. The office of Austrian President Heinz Fischer announced today (Fri) that the former Polish minister of defence will arrive for talks in Vienna on 13 July. The presidential office explained Komorowski was also set to meet Social Democratic (SPÖ) Chancellor Werner Faymann, and the SPÖ’s […]