Defence minister calls Lieberman ‘unbearable’

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Politics

Norbert Darabos has refused to apologise after attacking Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman. The Austrian Social Democratic (SPÖ) defence minister told Die Presse on Sunday that Lieberman was an “unbearable” member of the Israeli government to him. Darabos criticised the nationalist politician for refusing to rule out an Israeli attack against Iran due to the […]

Hollande’s growth appeal ‘nonsense’, says Fekter

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Politics

Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) Finance Minister Maria Fekter has launched an attack on the new French president. The former interior minister branded Francois Hollande’s targets as “nonsense”. Speaking to the Oberösterreichische Nachrichten newspaper, Fekter said ambitions to add aspects guaranteeing economic growth in struggling countries to the planned European Union (EU) fiscal pact were outdated. […]

Foreign minister rules out stop of support for Greece

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Politics

Austrian Vice Chancellor Michael Spindelegger has promised that the European Union (EU) will not let Greece down. The head of the People’s Party (ÖVP) said there was no alternative to helping Greece in its current situation. The member state of the EU and the Eurozone is in a serious political crisis after the leaders of […]

Body of Libyan oil minister flown out of Austria

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Politics

The body of the former Libyan minister Shukri Ghanem, who was found dead in the Danube last week, has been transported to the Libyan capital Tripoli on Thursday. The coffin with Ghanem’s name on it arrived in Tripoli yesterday, according to wire agencies. The Austrian officials were initially not ready to confirm this information. Meanwhile, […]

Burgstaller wants to cut summer holidays

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Education

Gabi Burgstaller is under attack after suggesting shorter holidays for teachers. The Social Democratic (SPÖ) governor of the province of Salzburg said yesterday (Tues) primary and secondary modern teachers “should have holidays of five weeks a year as everyone else”. Burgstaller told the Kurier the nine-week summer break should be cut to help parents. She […]

Maier demands rail tunnel referendums

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Politics

Outgoing People’s Party (ÖVP) parliament member (MP) Ferdinand Maier has suggested to let Austrians decide about the future of the various Austrian railway tunnel projects. The Social Democrats (SPÖ) of Chancellor Werner Faymann and Vice Chancellor Michael Spindelegger’s ÖVP decided to spend more than three billion Euros on the Semmering tunnel. Only last week, the […]

Ex Gadhafi minister found dead in Danube

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General News

By Fidan Aliyeva in Vienna One of toppled Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi’s top official’s has been discovered dead floating in the river Danube. Shukri Ghanem, 69, who was Libyan prime minister between 2003 and 2006, was dressed normally when he left his home on Sunday morning and was found dead in the Danube at 6:40am […]

Leitl denies ‘bullying businesses’ claim

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Business

The president of the Austrian Economy Chamber (WKO) has rejected accusations that companies are bullying elderly employees. Conservative Pensioners’ Union chief Andreas Khol claimed that many of the people who retired before having reached the regular pension age might have been “bullied” by their employers. Khol said he agreed with Karl Blecha, who heads the […]

Fight against firms’ tax evasion to intensify

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Business

The government wants to crack down on illegal companies. Nineteen people were found guilty of various business crimes after being exposed by a special task force since April 2010. The investigative group of police officers, experts on cross-country corruption and labour market developments was established by Social Democratic (SPÖ) Labour Minister Rudolf Hundstorfer to keep […]

Pühringer leads trust index

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Politics

Josef Pühringer, the governor of the province of Upper Austria, is the most trusted People’s Party (ÖVP) politician. A new poll by OGM – published in the new edition of magazine profil – lists Pühringer ahead of Economy Chamber (WKO) President Christoph Leitl and Science Minister Karlheinz Töchterle. Leitl has often been rumoured to become […]