The Turkish ambassador in Vienna has risked a serious thrift between Austria and Turkey with statements made in an exceptional interview.Speaking to Austrian newspaper Die Presse, Kadri Ecvet Tezcan claimed Turks in Vienna knew they were not welcome in Austria. He also revealed having been told that the Austrian foreign minister does not welcome ambassadors […]
Federal Workers Association (ÖAAB) head Michael Spindelegger has said the post of family issues state secretary must not be abolished.Spindelegger, who is also the Peoples Party (ÖVP) foreign minister, said today (Tues) that family subjects must have “a face” in the government coalition between his party and the Social Democrats (SPÖ).The ÖAAB boss explained he […]
Fewer than one out of four Austrians are satisfied with the governments work, according to a poll.Researchers Karmasin found that just 22 per cent are pleased by the performance of the coalition of Social Democrats (SPÖ) and the Peoples Party (ÖVP) which took office in December 2008.Sixteen per cent said they were in favour of […]
Wolfgang Thierse has claimed Germanys conservative parties are in trouble after ignoring integration problems for too long.The Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) official told Austrian newspaper Die Presse today (Mon): “The SPD doesnt have a particular problem regarding immigration topics in contrast to the conservative parties since they closed their eyes for too […]
Austria ‘ups anti-terror measures’
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Safety measures to protect Austrias political elite have been increased following the discovery of several mail bombs addressed to European leaders.Greek left-wing activists are suspected of having posted explosives addressed to German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.Terror experts have stressed that the attempted attacks were not in any way related to […]
Integration topics are set to dominate a meeting of the federal presidents of German-speaking Europe in northern Germany.Austrian President Heinz Fischer will meet with his German counterpart Christian Wulff, Swiss President Doris Leuthard and Alois von Liechtenstein, the head of the principality of Liechtenstein, in the city of Lübeck today (Mon).Wulff is expected to raise […]
Radovan Karadzic has claimed he considered giving himself up to war crimes judges more than 10 years ago.The former Bosnian Serb leader who faces war crime charges at the Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia in the Hague in the Netherlands told Austrian magazine profil: “I was ready to appear in front of the […]
Federal President Heinz Fischer has come out in support of a more human approach to the asylum seekers issue – but it is yet to be seen whether his appeal will have any impact.Fischer said in his National Day speech yesterday (Tues) that well integrated families should be allowed to stay in Austria. The former […]
Viennese Archbishop Christoph Cardinal Schönborn has appealed to the Austrian government to reform the current immigration laws.The highest-ranking representative of the Roman Catholic Church in Austria said today (Tues): “It is not acceptable that families, who are fully integrated, who dont financially burden anyone else, whose children know no other language than German with an […]
Support for end of conscription wanes
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Support for the abolition of mandatory military service in Austria is in decline, a new poll has shown.Vienna-based agency Karmasin found only 41 per cent of Austrians oppose the current six-month obligatory service, down from 48 per cent in July.The agency, which spoke to around 500 Austrians for political magazine profil, further found that 44 […]