Child allowance extension rarely taken up admits minister

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Politics

Experts have criticised the offer of extending the Kinderbetreuungsgeld  – the payment made to new parents – for two months in cases of hardship because the process is too complicated. The reasons for the extension of the child allowance can be violence in a relationship, prison or an extended period of sickness or even the […]

Political financing could be reformed

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Politics

The government is one step closer to passing a new party subsidisation law. Social Democratic (SPÖ) Media Secretary Josef Ostermayer – who represents his party in the talks with the opposition – expressed confidence regarding presenting the amendment in parliament in around two weeks’ time. SPÖ Chancellor Werner Faymann recently underlined that he wanted the […]

16-year-old groper’s heartbroken revenge

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General News

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 […]

Accused Sanader U-turn on extradition bid

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Politics

Accused ex Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader wants to be extradited back to Croatia.The former PM is currently being detained in Austria after he had been arrested in December on an international arrest warrant issued by Zagreb.Whilst in office in Croatia, Sanader was accused of abusing his power with cases involving state-run companies for millions […]

Widespread usage of bootleg software

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Business

Around one out of four software programmes used in Austria was purchased illegally, an international trade organisation has disclosed.The Business Software Alliance (BSA) announced today (Thurs) that approximately 25 per cent of PC and laptop software Austrians were currently working with were pirate copies. The BSA added that the global share of bootleg software was […]

Burnout to pounce on many judges, survey shows

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Business

One in five Austrian judges is at risk of suffering from burnout, a study has concluded.The survey – carried out by the ARGE Burnout group and experts of the Medical University in Graz, Styria – was presented today (Thurs). Researchers questioned more than 700 judges.The investigation shows that around 20 per cent are threatened by […]

Karl pledges faith effort

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Politics

New People’s Party (ÖVP) Justice Minister Beatrix Karl has said she wants to win back people’s faith in the country’s juridical system.A majority of 55 per cent of Austrians told research group Karmasin in January that they put less trust in the juridical system now than one year ago.Karl was sworn in yesterday (Thurs). The […]

Post clerk admits thefts

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General News

A post office employee has admitted stealing shipments containing valuables for many years.The 44-year-old woman confessed her wrongdoings when she was questioned by police investigating a number of cases in which letters and parcels containing money and jewellery disappeared.The suspect – who has been suspended – worked at a post office in Fohnsdorf, Styria. She […]

Pensioner loses over €90,000 in online fraud

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General News

An elderly Austrian lost almost 100,000 Euros in an internet scam, it has emerged.Police in Salzburg said today (Mon) that the 77-year-old man got in touch with them yesterday after having transferred more than 90,000 Euros to a bank account.The pensioner told officers that he was promised an undisclosed amount of money in an e-mail […]

Fewer bankruptcies in 2010 as A-Tec talks continue

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Business

The number of bankruptcies declined by nearly six per cent year on year in 2010, it has been announced.Creditreform, an Austrian association for the protection of creditors, said today (Mon) that officials handled 6,657 cases of broke companies last year. It said this was a 5.9 per cent decrease compared to 2009 figures. Creditreform added […]