Four in 10 Austrians oppose a recent suggestion to allow single women and lesbian couples to undergo in vitro fertilization (IVF). Social Democratic (SPÖ) Health Minister Alois Stöger said last month single women should get the green light to undergo such a procedure. Federal law keeps them from opting for the treatment. Stöger claimed the […]
Demonstrations have reached Salzburg as the Chinese president continued his visit to Austria yesterday (Mon). Hu Jintao – who arrived in Vienna on Sunday – was shielded from the street marches and silent vigils attended by hundreds of Austrians and foreigners at various locations in the centre of the Austrian capital yesterday. A woman joining […]
Finance Minister Maria Fekter has claimed Austria’s triple A rating is “safe” despite banks’ struggles in Eastern Europe (EE). The People’s Party (ÖVP) minister told radio station Ö1 on Saturday that she saw no imminent risk to Austria losing its top rating currently established by the world’s leading credit rating agencies. However, the minister admitted […]
Erwin Pröll (ÖVP), governor of Lower Austria, suggested taxing the rich “to prevent London-like conditions in Austria”. Pröll said that he feared for the social peace the tighter the national and international financial situation was getting. He had started a lively tax discussion in the ÖVP by suggesting higher taxes for top earners. On Thursday, […]
People’s Party (ÖVP) Finance Minister Maria Fekter has apologised after comparing today’s criticism of bankers with the Nazis’ persecution of Europe’s Jewish community. The federal minister warned on Friday current developments could escalate to “what resulted in wars twice.” Fekter said after a meeting of the European Union’s (EU) ministers of finance in Wroclaw, Poland: […]
Jürgen Trittin has warned of more dramatic effects than after the collapse of Lehman Brothers if Europe allows Greece to go bust. The influential German Green Party official told Austrian newspaper Die Presse today (Tues) he was certain an insolvency of the struggling Southern European country would have a more serious impact on developments on […]
One of the country’s most influential politicians of the past 20 years has stepped down. Wolfgang Schüssel announced today (Mon) he decided to retire as member of the federal parliament (MP). The move comes after increasing pressure on the former chancellor in connection with alleged fraud and stock market value manipulation carried out by former […]
A controversial lobbyist raked in hundreds of thousands of Euros by getting Federal Railways (ÖBB) to buy the trademark rights for a registered name from him, an opposition politician has claimed. Peter Pilz, a member of the federal parliament (MP) of the Green Party, announced yesterday (Tues) he obtained a firm-internal audit report exposing the […]
Georgian Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze has said he was certain his country would join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) sooner than the European Union (EU). Vashadze – who is currently in Salzburg to attend an international meeting of businesspeople and politicians – told the Austrian Kurier newspaper today (Mon): “I’m hesitant about telling you […]
Health Minister Alois Stöger has presented an initiative aimed at tackling young Austrians’ unfavourable nutrition habits. The Social Democrat (SPÖ) announced yesterday (Weds) school canteen managers will be provided with free brochures and further guidelines on how to provide a healthy and balanced range of snacks and drinks to kids. Around one in 10 Austrian […]