Mayors may slash culture spending, poll shows

Categories
Politics

A vast majority of the mayors of Austria’s debt-ridden towns could imagine cutting back subsidies for cultural events.A poll among Austria’s mayors has found 95 per cent would reduce financial support for local arts and culture events were they forced to slash their annual budget. Magazine profil further reports today (Mon) the OGM research found […]

Vienna rules out Hrdlicka Museum

Categories
Culture

Vienna government leaders have dismissed appeals to set up a museum dedicated to the work of Alfred Hrdlicka.The late sculptor’s disappointed widow Angelina Sigmeth-Hrdlicka said yesterday (Tues): “I love the idea of a Hrdlicka Museum in Vienna. I think he would deserve it.”Sigmeth-Hrdlicka stressed her late husband’s output had been extensive.City officials however said they […]

Vienna – London stowaway ‘unable to afford ticket’

Categories
General News

A British newspaper has identified the young man who survived a flight from Vienna to London by crouching in a wheel bay earlier this month.The Mail on Sunday (MoS) reported yesterday (Sun) that the 20-year-old stowaway who fell off the jumbo jet after it touched down at London-Heathrow was Andrei Culea from Cochirleni in eastern […]

Austria shamed by EU-wide pension age list

Categories
Politics

Austria has made the top three in a humiliating European Union (EU) retirement age ranking.The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) figures presented today (Weds) reveal that Belgium and France were the only other EU member states with a comparably low average pensioning age as Austria where men retire on average at 59 and […]

Holender rumoured for Budapest job

Categories
Culture

Outgoing State Opera director Ioan Holender is to become head of the Budapest State Opera, according to reports.Viennese newspapers claim today (Fri) that the 74-year-old Romanian-born director was in talks with Hungarian federal culture chiefs over taking over as creative director of the capital’s opera house.Holender headed the Vienna State Opera for 18 years. Frenchman […]

Siemens boss calls for ‘stable and transparent’ financial economy

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Business

Siemens chief Peter Löscher said he saw signs of recovery of the European economy as he attended the opening of a new office complex in Vienna today (Fri).The Austrian said: “Tendencies of the European economy managing to recuperate are clearly visible despite the nervousness dominating the international financial markets.”Löscher stressed that a “stable and transparent” […]

BZÖ wants ÖBB privatisation

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Business

Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ) boss Josef Bucher has suggested to privatise parts of indebted Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) to help the company to recover.The head of the opposition party said today (Thurs) the government should list some departments of the struggling firm, which is close to the state, on the stock market. […]

BCR boss demands more effort in fighting black market

Categories
Finance

Banca Comerciala Romana (BCR) CEO Dominic Bruynseels has appealed to Romanian leaders to increase their efforts to fight black market activities.The former Barclays Bank official said yesterday (Weds) the mortgage sector was “still at risk” due to the current situation in the Eastern European country which has been badly hit by the economic crisis. He […]

Greek crisis will not immediately affect CEEs, Erste analyst says

Categories
Finance

The Greek financial crisis will have no immediate impact on Central and Eastern European countries (CEEs), according to Erste Bank analysts.Erste chief analyst Fritz Mostböck said yesterday evening (Thurs) that the crisis might delay adoption of the Euro by CEEs, which had been expected to occur in 2015 or 2016.He noted Poland and Bulgaria had […]

Austrian banks ‘will not flee Greece’

Categories
Finance

The chiefs of Austria’s biggest banks ensured they would not reduce investments in financially struggling Greece.Raiffeisenzentralbank (RZB) boss Walter Rothensteiner said after a meeting with the heads of Austria’s other four major banks and People’s Party (ÖVP) Finance Minister: “We will not speculate against Greece, and we won’t reduce our investments in the country.”Austrian banks […]