The People’s Party (ÖVP) is in turmoil after the resignation of Ferdinand Maier. Maier announced in a radio debate he would retire next month instead of in autumn. The controversial parliament member (MP) was not allowed to express his critical opinion regarding the decision of the government to make debts of 33 billion Euros to […]
The crisis of the People’s Party (ÖVP) seems to worsen as inner conflicts are escalating. Ferdinand Maier announced he would resign as ÖVP parliament member (MP) in May. “I am already preparing my farewell speech,” Maier – who has been one of the most outspoken critics of the ÖVP’s various leaders of the past years […]
The government wants to keep campaigning for a tax on financial transactions despite the German government’s policy shift. German Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble said earlier this week the attempts to implement such a levy in the European Union (EU) should be abandoned. Schäuble said there was a lack of support in […]
The opposition wants to apply the criminal law for politicians engaging in the illegal subsidisation of their parties. The Greens, the Freedom Party (FPÖ) and the Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ) welcomed such a suggestion of Günther Kräuter, the general secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ). Kräuter said at the weekend that […]
Social Democratic (SPÖ) Labour and Social Affairs Minister Rudolf Hundstorfer has said the fines for breaches of education regulations might rise. Hundstorfer said before the meeting of government ministers yesterday (Tues) that he could imagine to support an increase of the maximum penalty from 220 Euros to twice this amount. The labour minister once more […]
Volksbank International (VBI) will continue to have its headquarters in Vienna, the vice chairman of the finance institute’s new owner has promised. Sergey Gorkov, the deputy head of Sberbank’s executive board, said today (Mon) VBI would not leave the Austrian capital. He told the Kurier newspaper the plan was to increase the number of staff […]
A group of priests opposing the Vatican’s principles finds more and more support, according to its head and a new survey. Former Caritas Austria President Helmut Schüller’s Preachers’ Initiative made headlines in June by “calling for disobedience” towards the Vatican. The group explained it rejected the Church’s refusal to let women work as priests in […]
One of Europe’s most influential economists has unleashed an extraordinary attack on the continent’s political elite. Hans-Werner Sinn – who heads the Institute for Economic Research (IFO) in Munich, Germany – has become one of the most outspoken critics of the European Union’s (EU) steps in reaction to the debt crisis of Eurozone members like […]
More than two dozen high-skilled jobless Styrians joined natural disaster support groups after a devastating thunderstorm caused havoc at the weekend. Labour Market Service (AMS) officials in the district of Murau announced today (Tues) that 30 people registered as out of work immediately stepped forward to assist clearing streets from mud in Oberwölz and other […]
Social Democratic (SPÖ) Chancellor Werner Faymann has claimed Austria would be worse off if the European Union (EU) allowed Greece to go bust. The Social Democrat once more defended the financial support for the debt-stricken Eurozone member in a TV interview yesterday (Sun). Faymann pointed out Austria was a country focusing on exports and must […]