Brauner denies VIA switch as campaigning intensifies

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Politics

Social Democratic (SPÖ) Vienna financial affairs councillor Renate Brauner has rubbished rumours she was set to enter Vienna International Airport’s (VIA) board.Speculations Brauner would leave politics to become a member of the board of Flughafen Wien AG, the company managing VIA, have lingered on for weeks as decision-makers at the airport have come under pressure […]

Vöcklabruck tap water clean, second test shows

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General News

Residents of an Upper Austrian town have been given the go ahead to drink tap water after a recent study found it contained bacteria.Research carried out earlier this week revealed that there were coliforms in tap water in Attnang-Puchheim in the province’s Vöcklabruck district. The germs can cause various infections.Town hall officials decided to provide […]

New law bans Under-18s from solariums

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Politics

Austrian teenagers are banned from tanning shops as of today (Weds) amid skin cancer fears.The law preventing Under-18s from using tanning salons in the country was agreed upon by all five parties represented in the Austrian parliament last year.The government stressed managers of solariums, hotel bosses and other businessmen face fines of up to 2,180 […]

FPÖ boss wants minarets referendum

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Politics

Freedom Party (FPÖ) leader Heinz-Christian Strache has announced a referendum over minarets if he wins the upcoming Vienna election.The right-winger announced today (Tues) he will hold a referendum to let residents decide whether they want a law preventing the construction of minarets in the capital.He said: “I will immediately hold a referendum over the issue […]

Minaret debate continues as Vienna vote approaches

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Politics

Freedom Party (FPÖ) leader Heinz-Christian Strache has spoken out against the construction of additional minarets in Austria.The right-winger said on state-owned TV channel ORF’s “Sommergespräche” (Summer Talks) series last night (Mon): “We say yes to houses of prayers, but no to minarets and muezzins.”Strache’s statement comes after Anas Schakfeh, president of the Austrian Islamic Denomination […]

Right-wing anger over mosques call

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Politics

Freedom Party (FPÖ) officials have hit out at Anas Schakfeh, president of the Austrian Islamic Denomination (IGGiÖ), for calling for a mosque in all nine provinces.FPÖ General Secretary Harald Vilimsky today (Mon) suggested an “immigration stop” for people from “Islamic regions” in a first reaction to Schakfeh’s statements from the weekend.Schakfeh said he wanted “visible” […]

Erste Bank CEO wants tax on assets

Categories
Finance

The head of Austria’s second-biggest bank has caused a stir by calling for the introduction of a tax on assets.Erste Bank boss Andreas Treichl told weekly magazine News today (Thurs): “A ’decent’ taxation on assets must be set up, of course, as well as (higher) real estate tax levels and inheritance tax.”Treichl also said tax […]

Kaltenegger wipes away land tax calls

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Politics

People’s Party (ÖVP) general secretary Fritz Kaltenegger has ruled out higher real estate taxes as the budget debate intensifies.Kaltenegger said today (Fri) his party opposed an increase of land tax from next year. His pledge comes days after several economists and the ÖVP’s coalition partner, the Social Democrats (SPÖ), called for an open discussion over […]

Lear Corporation plant shutdown affects 120

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Business

More than 100 workers are facing the axe after an American car parts maker announced it is set to close its Austrian factory next month.Lear Corporation said today (Tues) it will shut down its site in Köflach, Styria, on 24 August.Styrian Social Democratic (SPÖ) Deputy Governor Siegfried Schrittwieser said he offered the 120 affected employees […]

SPÖ and ÖVP go head to head in Styria

Categories
Politics

A hot political summer is ahead as research shows the Social Democrats (SPÖ) and the People’s Party (ÖVP) are neck-and-neck in Styria.People in the central province head to the polls on 26 September and SPÖ Governor Franz Voves made clear he will step down as leader of the Styrian Social Democrats if ÖVP Deputy Governor […]