Styria tourism warning as Vienna keeps top spot

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Business

Styria and Burgenland need to raise their efforts in targeting international guests, a tourism expert has warned.Martin Stanits of the Austrian Hoteliers Association (ÖHV) when speaking about the provincial capital of Styria today (Thurs) said: “Tourism in the Graz region is struggling a bit since the city was Europe’s Capital of Culture in 2003.”Stanits stressed […]

Global Volvo recall affects more than 500 cars in Austria

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Business

Volvo is recalling more than 500 cars in Austria.The Swedish company said today (Fri) a protecting cover of the fuel line needed to be checked at 549 XC 60 models built in 2009 and 2010.Officials warned the metallic cover could come off and endanger following cars.Around 29,400 Volvo vehicles are affected worldwide by the recall.American […]

Magna ends Graz plant part-time scheme

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Business

Thousands of workers at Magna’s Graz plant are back in full-time work as the car industry supplier registered a sharp increase in orders.Around 4,500 staff were put into an 18-month part-time model to avoid sackings.Workers’ Union official Thomas Stoimaier said today (Fri): “The company’s order situation is currently very good and this is why it […]

Two sentenced as customer drinks caustic detergent

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General News

Bakery staff were given suspended sentences yesterday (Weds) after they sold a bottle of mineral water filled with detergent last year.David D. is still recovering from taking one gulp from the bottle he bought at the shop in Grafenschachen in Burgenland’s Oberwart district last November.The bakery’s 40-year-old boss told judges at Eisenstadt’s provincial court that […]

Soaring fuel prices brisk inflation

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Business

Last month saw inflation rise at its most dramatic rate in more than one year, official figures released today (Fri) show.State agency Statistik Austria reported inflation rose by two per cent in March compared to the same month of 2009, the highest year on year increase since developments in November 2008.Soaring car fuel and heating […]

Tolls not car fuel tax, says IV

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Business

The Austrian Industrial Association (IV) is calling for car tolls rather than for an increase in taxes on car fuel, according to today’s edition (Fri) of news magazine Format.IV General Secretary Markus Beyrer is quoted as calling tolls based on the number of kilometres driven “a more intelligent alternative.”He said tolls could be staggered in […]

Putin ‘to visit Austria next month’

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Politics

Russian Premier Minister Vladimir Putin will visit Vienna next month, according to a newspaper report.Vienna daily Heute reported today (Weds) that Putin, who has a black belt, would attend the Judo World Championships – set to take place in the Austrian capital between 22 and 25 April – on 24 April.The newspaper also claimed that […]

Around 100,000 Austrians do not have health insurance

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General News

Around 100,000 Austrians do not have health insurance, a social issues expert has revealed.Speaking on the occasion of passage of US President Barack Obama’s health reform by the US Congress, Martin Schenk said today (Tues): “Austria has a good health insurance system compared to the United States, but gaps in the network need to be […]

Firemen at same flat seven times in seven months

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General News

Firemen had to return to the same Graz apartment yesterday (Tues) for the seventh time in seven months, police said.The 37-year-old unemployed alcoholic resident had forgotten to remove a pot of beans from a hotplate before taking a nap and it had caught on fire.A neighbour’s dog raised the alarm by barking after it smelled […]

TA to buy rest of its Belarussian subsidiary

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Business

Telekom Austria (TA) is planning to buy the remaining 30 per cent interest in its Belarussian subsidiary Velcom at the end of 2010, according to today’s (Tues) edition of the newspaper WirtschaftsBlatt.According to the paper, the remaining interest might cost as much as 500 million Euros and that TA would buy it from Austrian industrialist […]