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 […]
Tag: European
Othmar Karas has claimed that there would already be a tax on financial transactions if the European Parliament (EP) had the final say. Karas – who heads the EP delegation of the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) – said today (Weds) current European Union (EU) regulations kept the union from acting efficiently. He told the Kurier […]
The vast majority of Austrians would appreciate the planned European Parliament (EP) voting law reform, according to a new study. The Austrian Society for European Policies (Österreichische Gesellschaft für Europapolitik, ÖGfE) announced today (Fri) that 60 per cent of Austrians wanted to elect the next president of the European Commission (EC) in a direct ballot. […]
Pelinka upset by parliament reform plans
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Political scientist Anton Pelinka has reacted critically to the government’s plan to reduce the parliament. Werner Faymann’s Social Democrats (SPÖ) and the conservative People’s Party (ÖVP) of Vice Chancellor and Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Spindelegger announced earlier this month that the number of federal parliament delegates would shrink by 18 to 165 after next year’s […]
Berlakovich blocks possible cutbacks
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The pressure is increasing on People’s Party (ÖVP) Environment Minister Nikolaus Berlakovich as he keeps refusing to reduce spending on the agricultural sector. The environment and agriculture minister claimed yesterday (Tues) subsidies on the domestic agricultural industry were ensuring farmers’ existence. He warned that cuts could ruin the Austrian agricultural sector. His appeal comes after […]
Porr issues profit alert
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Austria’s third-biggest construction company has warned its shareholders of potential losses. Porr AG announced today (Thurs) it might suffer a loss of 70 to 80 million Euros before tax by the end of this year. The firm said it was challenged by write-offs in Eastern European (EE) countries like Hungary and Romania where state-owned institutions […]
Raidl snubs ÖVP hot seat offer
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The Viennese People’s Party (ÖVP) tried to persuade an industrialist and conservative opinion leader to take over as chairman, it has emerged. Claus Raidl – who formerly headed tool steel manufacturer Böhler Uddeholm – confirmed today (Thurs) that he was approached by Vienna ÖVP officials about whether he could imagine becoming the party’s new leader. […]
Austria’s provinces will be allowed to breach upcoming debt limit regulations in extraordinary circumstances, it emerged yesterday evening (Tues). David Brenner, the financial councillor of Salzburg and head of the council of councillors for financial affairs, announced that the country’s nine provinces were given the right to spend more than scheduled in the next nine […]
Piano mania performed by Fazil Say
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By Fidan Aliyeva Impressive as a composer as much as a pianist and being originally from Turkey, Fazil Say’s solo concert was held last Wednesday on 9 November in the Konzerthaus Wien. The compositions he performed were of both Eastern and European in nature due to his diverse musical background. There is a much that […]
ÖVAG ‘to lay off 500’
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Volksbank AG (ÖVAG) will sack hundreds of employees in the coming two and a half years, according to a report. The Kurier claims today (Weds) that the struggling bank plans to dismiss 500 of its staff in Austria. This would mean that the bank – which did not comment on the report – would lay […]