The Social Democrats (SPÖ) plan an initiative for shorter working weeks. SPÖ Labour Minister Rudolf Hundstorfer said yesterday (Tues) he would appreciate a reduction of the general working volume from 40 to 38.5 hours. Hundstorfer claimed such a reform could help keeping elderly labourers and employees in work longer. He argued that lowering people’s average […]
A public opinion researcher has given the Austrian Pirate Party (PPÖ) good chances to enter the city hall of Graz next year. Sophie Karmasin of Viennese research group Karmasin said the recently established political party might manage to make it into the parliament of the capital of Styria in next year’s city hall ballot. Graz […]
The Austrian government is cracking down on another alleged safe haven for private equity. Only last week, Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) Finance Minister Maria Fekter met with Swiss Finance Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf to finalise a tax treaty between the neighbouring countries. The agreement means that Austrians’ money in Switzerland would be charged with tax rates […]
One of the world’s leading credit rating agencies has confirmed the Austrian AAA. US American agency Fitch announced yesterday (Tues) it decided to reaffirm the alpine country’s top credit rating. Fitch also gave a stable outlook on Austria’s economic development. The Austrian economy strongly depends on tourism, its retail trade – which employs more than […]
Most Austrians reject a later start of school. Viennese public opinion research agency spoke with 500 Austrians to find out more about people’s opinion regarding the start of primary and secondary schools in the morning. Only one in five (20 per cent) of the interviewed citizens said they were in favour of a reform which […]
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 […]
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 […]
The money the state poured into nationalised banks is lost, according to an economic expert. Franz Hahn of the Institute for Economic Research (WIFO) said today (Weds) that the Republic of Austria might not see the billions of Euros it had poured into Hypo Group Alpe Adria (HGAA), Kommunalkredit and Volksbank AG (ÖVAG) ever again. […]
The People’s Party (ÖVP) has denied that it tries to enforce an early end to the parliamentary anti-corruption commission. The panel headed by Greens parliamentary member (MP) Gabriela Moser is investigating the various alleged corrupt connections between politicians and businesspeople since January. It suffered a setback when the ÖVP and its government coalition partner, the […]