Austrian woes and warnings over Hungarian bank tax plans

Categories
Finance

Hungary is “playing with fire,” Raiffeisenzentralbank (RZB) boss Walter Rothensteiner has warned as the country plans to go ahead with introducing a bank tax.Hungarian Fidesz National Economy Minister György Matolcsy said after meeting with Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) Economy Minister Reinhold Mitterlehner today (Mon) his party would press on with setting up the controversial tax.The […]

Spindelegger says Sudan must cooperate to avoid civil war

Categories
Politics

People’s Party (ÖVP) Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger has appealed to his Sudanese counterpart Ali Ahmed Karti to increase measures avoiding a civil war breaking out in Darfur.Spindelegger said Austria – currently a member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) – had “great interest” in the wellbeing of the thousands of refugees living in the […]

German President to visit Austria this week

Categories
Politics

New German President Christian Wulff will come to Vienna this Wednesday, the office of Austrian President Heinz Fischer has announced. A spokeswoman for Fischer said today (Mon) that the former Christian Democratic (CDU) Minister President of Lower Saxony will stay in Vienna for a few hours. She announced Fischer and Wulff will meet for talks […]

Kapsch and Bartenstein battle for IV top post, reports claim

Categories
Business

Georg Kapsch is rumoured to follow Veit Sorger as president of the Federation of Austrian Industries (IV).Business newspapers report today (Weds) that the head of IT firm Kapsch TrafficCom AG has the best chances of heading the body. Sorger’s term only ends in around two years, but the institution is allegedly interested in clarifying the […]

Faymann first state chief to visit Israel after ‘ship attack’

Categories
Politics

Social Democratic (SPÖ) Chancellor Werner Faymann’s visit to Israel will be the first of the head of state since the violent incident on an international aid ship last month.Nine activists were killed and dozens injured when Israeli soldiers captured the Mavi Marmara in international waters. The incident sparked worldwide outcry and sharp criticism of Israel’s […]

Androsch says Cerberus may back out of BAWAG PSK

Categories
Business

Hannes Androsch has claimed US investor Cerberus Capital Management is considering leaving Austrian BAWAG PSK soon.The Former Social Democratic (SPÖ) finance minister said at a business event last night (Tues) it was possible that the American bank house withdrew its engagement “in the foreseeable future”.Cerberus however is committed to remain on board for at least […]

Pröll says Austria ‘in full support’ of UN and EU in Iran issue

Categories
Politics

People’s Party (ÖVP) Finance Minister Josef Pröll has stressed Austria was “in full support” of the United Nations’ (UN) and European Union’s (EU) strategy over possible sanctions against Iran as he arrived for a three-day visit in Israel yesterday (Weds).Pröll also said discussing strategies how to fight the effects of the economic crisis was the […]

Austrian holiday agencies ‘offer canned hunt trips’

Categories
General News

Animal activists have claimed Austrian holiday agencies offer controversial canned hunting trips to South Africa.Thomas Pietsch of animal protection NGO Vier Pfoten said today (Thurs): “We know that at least 15 Austrian trip organisers offer such journeys.”The term “canned hunt” describes a trophy hunt event in which animals are kept in a fenced area to […]

VCÖ makes €350mn kerosene tax call

Categories
Politics

Austrian Traffic Club (VCÖ) officials have claimed Austria was losing out on around 350 million Euros of annual revenues by not charging taxes on kerosene.VCÖ expert Martin Blum branded the situation an “indirect subsidisation of the aviation industry.”Blum said today (Weds) the government would garner around 355 million Euros per year if it decided to […]

Anger as Iranian Minister ignores Holocaust query

Categories
Politics

Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Manouchehr Mottaki failed to speak out about the Holocaust in Vienna yesterday (Sun).Mottaki met with Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger for talks in which Austria warned the Iranian regime of possible sanctions by the United Nations (UN) over the country’s controversial uranium enrichment programme.Asked by an Israeli journalist […]