A traffic researcher has been named Vienna’s new ambassador for cycling. The city government of Social Democrats (SPÖ) and the Green Party decided to create the position to increase the share of cycling in the capital from the current five to six per cent to 10 per cent by 2015. The coalition announced yesterday (Tues) […]
Former Social Democratic (SPÖ) Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer has dismissed a suggestion by his successor on how Europe’s politicians could get the continent’s volatile economic situation under control. SPÖ head and Chancellor Werner Faymann said the federal government and state leaders of the 27 European Union (EU) member countries should meet more often to debate how […]
Fewer Austrians than ever before are interested in politics, according to a poll. Research group Imas said yesterday (Weds) only five per cent of citizens explained they were “strongly interested” in developments in interior politics. Around three in four admitted being indifferent or uninterested. Imas explained the percentage figure of those very interested has never […]
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 […]
A Tyrolean town has rejected a group of Turkish businesspeople’s appeal to run a school. A commission formed by Rum Town Hall officials announced yesterday (Tues) it unanimously agreed to veto the endeavour. Turkish investors and retail trade entrepreneurs asked decision-makers whether they could create and manage a private school. The group aimed at setting […]
Federal President Heinz Fischer has been criticised for backing calls for higher taxes on assets. The former Social Democratic (SPÖ) member of the federal parliament (MP) said yesterday (Sun) he worried about the social peace and balance in the country. Fischer said he would like to put the opinion that Austria’s rich must not be […]
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 […]
Vienna’s Greens are delving further into controversy with a new no-traffic concept. Viennese newspapers report today (Weds) that Green Party Vice Mayor Maria Vassilakou wanted to ban car traffic from some of the city’s busiest roads next summer. The left-winger allegedly wants a different street at the free disposal for cyclists, pedestrians and inline skaters. […]
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 […]
Services provided by the city of Vienna to its residents will become more expensive in less than half a year, it emerged yesterday (Weds). The capital’s government coalition of Mayor Michael Häupl’s Social Democrats (SPÖ) and the Viennese Green Party said services like waste disposal and tap water supply will cost around six per cent […]