Czech prime minister wants full investigation of Steyr deal

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Business

Czech Prime Minister Jan Fischer called yesterday (Mon) evening for a full investigation of the Czech Defence Ministry’s purchase of 107 Austrian Pandur II light wheeled tanks in 2009.The ministry bought them from Upper Austrian firm Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeuge (SSF) for 559 million Euros. The Czech newspaper Mlada fronta Dnes has reported that SSF bribed Czech […]

Bribery secured Austrian tank deal, says Czech newspaper

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Business

The Czech newspaper Mlada fronta Dnes reported that Austrian firm Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeuge (SSF) had bribed Czech politicians to secure a tank deal.The newspaper said the deal was the Czech Defence Ministry’s purchase of 107 Pandur II light wheeled tanks from SSF for 538 million Euros in March 2009.It added that one of its journalists posing […]

DO&CO turnover slumps but profit jumps

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Business

Viennese catering company DO&CO said its turnover slumped in the first three quarters of the current 2009/2010 business year while profit soared.The company, headed by Attila Dogudan, announced today (Thurs) earnings before interest and taxes (Ebit) rose by 7.6 per cent to 26.08 million Euros.The firm, which runs restaurants and manages the catering for several […]

Cosmos is bankrupt

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Business

Austrian consumer electronics chain Cosmos is bankrupt after failing to obtain a forced settlement with creditors, according to the Alpine Land Credit Protection Association (AKV).It said prospective investors had decided to take a significantly reduced part of the Cosmos chain, 10 of its 27 stores would be closed and 400 workers would lose their jobs.Bankruptcy […]

More FlyNiki connections as Lufthansa strike looms

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Business

Austrian budget airline FlyNiki has announced plans to increase its connections to German airports as Lufthansa pilots prepare to strike from Monday.Pilots of the German aviation giant announced yesterday (Weds) they would go on strike between Monday and Thursday over fears their jobs are at risk. Union leaders claimed the company board had plans to […]

Waldquelle reports production increase

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Business

Austrian-Czech mineral water bottler Waldquelle reported today (Weds) it had raised the amount bottled by seven per cent year on year to 120 million litres in 2009.The firm said its turnover had increased by 8.7 per cent year on year to 21 million Euros last year.Waldquelle chief Herbert Czech claimed that Waldquelle had the second-largest […]

OMV finds gas in southern Tunisia

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Business

Austrian oil and gas producer OMV announced today (Tues) it had discovered natural gas and gas condensate during exploratory drilling in southern Tunisia.OMV said the find had occurred at the Fella-1 field there.OMV board member Helmut Langanger said: “The series of very promising finds in exploration block Jenein South has strengthened our resolve to continue […]

UNIQA sees drop in earnings

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Business

Insurance firm UNIQA today (Tues) reported a drop in operating earnings.The company said its operating earnings had fallen 9.5 per cent from 90 million Euros in 2008 to 81.5 million Euros in 2009.It added, however, that its 39.5 million Euros in operating earnings in the fourth quarter of 2009 had been the highest quarterly figure […]

Number of VIA’s passengers up in January

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Business

The number of passengers at Vienna International Airport (VIA) rose by 4.1 per cent year on year to 1,203 million in January 2010, the airport reported today (Thurs).VIA added that the number of passengers with Middle Eastern destinations had gone up by 11.3 per cent and the number with Western European destinations had risen by […]

BauMax to open four new stores in Romania

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Business

Austrian building materials retailer BauMax will open four new stores in Romania this year, the company announced yesterday (Thurs).A new shop is going to open in Bucharest on 25 February at the new Sun Plaza shopping mall, which is being developed by Erste Group’s real estate subsidiary Sparkassen Immobilien AG.Other stores will open in the […]