Viennese Archbishop Christoph Cardinal Schönborn has appealed to the Austrian government to reform the current immigration laws.The highest-ranking representative of the Roman Catholic Church in Austria said today (Tues): “It is not acceptable that families, who are fully integrated, who dont financially burden anyone else, whose children know no other language than German with an […]
Tag: government
Car clubs have turned their guns on the government over plans to raise taxes on mineral oil (MöSt).ÖAMTC said today (Thurs) the coalition of Social Democrats (SPÖ) and the conservative Peoples Party (ÖVP) was “lacking ideas” in its attempts to restore the state budget as government officials hinted towards higher MöSt from next year.The motorists […]
Former German Social Democratic (SPD) Finance Minister Peer Steinbrück has criticised the Austrian Social Democrats (SPÖ) for holding back information on the 2011 budget after two provincial elections took place.The Austrian SPÖ government and the conservative Peoples Party (ÖVP) controversially announced it would wait until December to reveal possible higher or new taxes and cuts. […]
Federal Railways (ÖBB) head Christian Kern has claimed that higher mineral oil taxes would be an immense help in the firm’s bid to sell more tickets.The businessman, who previously worked for electricity provider Verbund, told the Salzburger Nachrichten newspaper today (Thurs) he was convinced more people would switch to trains if car fuel taxes were […]
Vorarlberg not upping heating subsidy
Categories
The provincial government of Vorarlberg has decided not to raise the heating subsidy sum for the upcoming winter.Peoples Party (ÖVP) councillor Greti Schmid announced today (Tues) that the government will support needy households with 250 Euros this winter, the same amount it provided last year.This means that local political decision-makers will not take inflation into […]
ÖBB to axe direct Linz – Graz route
Categories
Politicians in Upper Austria have turned their guns on Federal Railways (ÖBB) bosses after the firm announced plans to end its Linz Graz Intercity service.The state-owned company said today (Fri) that it would stop offering a direct high-speed connection between the Upper Austrian city of Linz and Graz in the province of Styria after […]
Fewer than one in five Austrians think of ethnic minorities as a group in need of protection.Magazine profil reports today (Mon) only 18 per cent of Austrians thought ethnic minorities deserved more protection. The poll conducted by Viennese research agency Karmasin also showed that two in 10 Austrians said the same about migrants […]
Political decision-makers are at odds over what conclusions to draw from economic predictions made today (Fri).The Institute for Economic Research (WIFO) and the Institute for Higher Studies (IHS) announced they expected the Austrian economy to recover quicker from the credit crunch than initially predicted.IHS said the countrys gross domestic product (GDP) will rise by 1.8 […]
VIG to enter Montenegro
Categories
Vienna Insurance Group (VIG) has been granted a concession to offer life insurances in Montenegro.The company said today (Weds) the decision meant it was now active in 24 European countries.VIG, which is listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange (WBAG), explained its subsidiary Wiener Städtische zivotno osiguranje Podgorica a.d. will handle operations in the former Yugoslav […]
More than 400 Austrian towns participated in the European Unions (EU) 2010 Car-Free Day today (Weds).Austrian officials said 435 towns and communities across the country organised various initiatives in a bid to raise awareness for eco-friendly commuting and reduce car traffic.The EU-wide Car-Free Day awakens memories of a law passed by the Austrian government in […]