The opposition teamed up in attacking the government over its tax agreement with Switzerland. People’s Party (ÖVP) Finance Minister Maria Fekter agreed with her Swiss counterpart, Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, about charging a tax of 15 to 38 per cent on Austrians’ assets in Switzerland shortly. Fekter said in Swiss capital Bern, where the treaty was signed […]
Tag: minister
Grasser rejects BUWOG corruption claims
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Former Freedom Party (FPÖ) Finance Minister Karl-Heinz Grasser has denied any wrongdoing regarding the sale of real estate management company BUWOG. The enterprise – which manages more than 60,000 apartments – was privatised in 2004 when Grasser headed the finance ministry. Ex-FPÖ General Secretary Walter Meischberger and marketing expert Peter Hochegger, who used to be […]
Koren at the ready for ÖVAG top job
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Stephan Koren has reportedly agreed to take the hot seat at Volksbank AG (ÖVAG). The ex-BAWAG PSK (BAWAG) manager has been rumoured to replace Gerald Wenzel as ÖVAG CEO for some time. Now People’s Party (ÖVP) Finance Minister Maria Fekter announced Koren signalised interest in the position. Fekter said yesterday (Weds) the banker was ready […]
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 […]
Fekter faces the axe, papers claim
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Rumours that People’s Party (ÖVP) Finance Minister Maria Fekter will soon have to go are increasing following the most recent budget dispute. The finance minister was seen as a contender for ÖVP leadership following the resignation of Josef Pröll as chairman, vice chancellor, and finance minister last year. Economy Minister Reinhold Mitterlehner was given good […]
Women’s Minister Gabriele Heinisch-Hosek promised to keep fighting gender disparities on the labour market as a survey shows that men earn significantly more than women of the same social background. Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU) researchers compared the careers of 250 graduates to find out that the pay gap between the male and […]
School salary structure changes planned
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The government wants to reform teachers’ service law. Social Democratic (SPÖ) Education Minister Claudia Schmied and Finance Minister Maria Fekter of the People’s Party (ÖVP) reportedly agree that teachers should get higher wages in their first years on the job. Such measures would affect the incomes of new teachers but leave the salaries of people […]
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. […]
Social Democratic (SPÖ) Labour and Social Affairs Minister Rudolf Hundstorfer has said the fines for breaches of education regulations might rise. Hundstorfer said before the meeting of government ministers yesterday (Tues) that he could imagine to support an increase of the maximum penalty from 220 Euros to twice this amount. The labour minister once more […]
Unanimous praise for State Opera Ball
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Political leaders and showbiz stars had only kind words about last night’s (Thurs) Opera Ball. Austrian President Heinz Fischer said the event had nothing to do with the corruption scandals former Austrian government ministers, businesspeople and lobbyists are accused of being involved in. A special parliamentary commission headed by Gabriela Moser of the Green Party […]