416 million won back from tax dodgers in Switzerland

Categories
General News

By Rob Hyde Austria has won back 416,7 million Euros deposited in Switzerland since the two countries signed a special tax agreement. Since the start of the new information-exchange at the start of 2013, 13,600 Austrians have come forward and divulged details of assets they have based in Switzerland. The investors, who managed to declare […]

Grasser was in Asia, not Switzerland says FORMAT

Categories
General News

By Rob Hyde Although Grasser claims he received 500,000 Euros in cash from his mother-in-law in Switzerland, he had flown with AUA to the Far East at the time, says FORMAT magazine. Its article says former finance minister Karl-Heinz Grasser was in Nepal and Peking in the same period he says he was in Switzerland. […]

Government wants to tax Liechtenstein foundations

Categories
Politics

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 […]

Bank bankruptcy law planned

Categories
Finance

The government intends to change Austria’s insolvency regulations to loosen protective factors banks have so far benefited from. Several bankers – including Andreas Treichl, the head of market leader Erste Bank Group AG (Erste Bank) – have spoken out in favour of a reform of the financial sector bankruptcy law. Austrian law fails to feature […]

Car thief does 200 kph in spectacular police chase

Categories
General News

A car thief tried to escape police doing 200 kilometres per hour (kph) yesterday (Thurs) on the A1 motorway in Salzburg. Europe-wide investigators reported that the Polish man who had stolen a luxury car worth at least 45,000 Euros in Switzerland shortly before, overtook other vehicles on the service lane and the green area of […]

Strabag boss rules out further Swiss takeovers

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Business

The head of Austrian construction sector top dog Strabag SE has rejected claims it was aiming for more acquisitions in Switzerland. Hans Peter Haselsteiner said today (Thurs) his company would not launch another attempt to take over Implenia. Strabag – Austria’s biggest building company – previously tried to grab a majority share in the firm. […]

Vienna coffee smell may spur Romanian bookings

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Business

Austrian tourism chiefs hope for more reservations by Romanians after the smell of Viennese coffee is being spread at an underground station in Bucharest as part of a new marketing stunt.The scent of fine coffee from Vienna is automatically being diffused every 10 minutes at the Romanian capital’s busy Piata Universitatii station as part of […]

‘Austrian tax evasion whistleblower’ dies in Swiss jail

Categories
General News

An Austrian tax evasion whistleblower has been found dead in his prison cell, a local newspaper has claimed.Kronen Zeitung revealed today (Fri) the Tyrolean passed away in his cell in a jail in Winterthur, Switzerland.The Vienna daily claimed Swiss authorities have refused to give out any further information on the incident. It also reports that […]

German’s record-breaking tour ends in Austria

Categories
Culture

A German musician set a new world record by giving concerts in eight different countries including Austria within 24 hours.Vicente Patiz – real name Jörg Patitz – from Johanngeorgenstadt in Saxony started his bid with a gig in Oberhausen, Germany, on Saturday before hitting the stage in Eupen, Belgium, Maastricht, Netherlands, Ettelbrück in Luxembourg, the […]

Linz lined up for national team comeback

Categories
Sports

Roland Linz is to make a comeback in the Austrian national team after almost two years, it has emerged.Coach Dietmar Constantini called up the Austria Vienna star for the friendly against Switzerland set to take place at Klagenfurt’s Hypo Group Arena on 11 August. The 28-year-old striker most recently performed for Austria in a 2-2 […]