The number of requests for political asylum in Austria by people from North Africa has increased in the wake of the unrest in the region, new figures show. Official statistics presented today (Tues) reveal that 23 Libyans asked for asylum in Austria between January and June of this year. Only two refugees from the civil […]
Tag: ÖVP
Austria’s AAA rating confirmed
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An influential rating agency has warned Austria about its high state debt. Fitch announced yesterday evening (Mon) Austria needed to act more ambitiously against its steadily increasing high debt rate. The agency claimed the Alpine country would be better protected against economic setbacks in the future if it started to get active now. Austria’s debts […]
Austria extradites Sanader
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Austria has extradited one of Croatia’s most controversial politicians. Former Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) chairman and Prime Minister Ivo Sanader was transferred from Salzburg to a prison in Zagreb, the federal capital of Croatia, yesterday evening (Mon). Sanader was put in custody in Salzburg last December. He had been behind bars in the Austrian city […]
Tourism concerns as Air Berlin may bunk
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A leading low-cost carrier considers leaving Klagenfurt Airport (KLU), according to reports. Austrian newspapers claim today (Tues) that Air Berlin could stop operating between KLU and aerodromes in the German cities of Berlin, Dusseldorf and Hamburg later this year. The dailies report the company – Germany’s second-busiest airline after Lufthansa – demand financial support from […]
Austria’s decision not to extradite a war crimes suspect has caused a severe diplomatic rift with Lithuania. Juridical decision-makers opted to let Mikhail G. go after he was put in custody at Vienna International Airport (VIA or VIE) last Thursday. The former officer of Soviet security agency KGB is accused of having masterminded the operations […]
MEPs are clueless, says minister
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A conservative opinion leader has been accused of “having no idea” about the situation in his homeland after calling for more support for a budget increase of the European Union (EU). Othmar Karas, the head of the delegation of the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) in the European Parliament (EP) in Strasbourg, France, recently said that […]
Disputed MEP faces fraud charges
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A controversial member of the European Parliament (MEP) could be in court for fraud later this year, it has emerged. Hans-Peter Martin made headlines by secretly filming MEPs of different nationalities and political movements to expose their alleged abuse of various privileges in Strasbourg, France, and Brussels, Belgium, where the European Parliament (EP) and the […]
Conservatives members of the federal parliament in Vienna (MPs) have been accused of acting “childish” after blocking a bid to change the lyrics of the national anthem. Maria Rauch-Kallat of the People’s Party (ÖVP) aimed to present a draft bill in her final speech as MP on Friday evening. She was scheduled to speak at […]
‘Fatally ill’ banker released early
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A banker found guilty of one of the biggest investment belly flops in the history of the country will walk free due to his fragile health, it has emerged. Judges in Vienna announced yesterday afternoon (Thurs) that Helmut Elsner was too sick to serve the remainder of his 10-year term. The 76-year-old spent the past […]
The Freedom Party (FPÖ) has called on the federal government ministries to spend less on advertisements in order to help finance the nearing renovation of the parliament. The parliament – located in Vienna’s Innere Stadt district – must undergo extensive refurbishments in the coming years due to the derelict state of some areas of the […]