130 million unclaimed by families

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Politics

Politicians have started a debate on what to do with 130 million euros of unclaimed cash put aside to help with the cost of childcare for families. The MPs are agreed that the money should go to families but are now debating how it could be used. The money was to cover the 2,300 euros […]

Mayor stole to fund gambling habit

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Politics

The former mayor in Braunau, Upper Austria, the birthplace of Adolf Hitler is to appear in court after taking money from locals to fund his gambling addiction. Ex-mayor Gerhard Skiba is accused of borrowing almost half a million euros from locals claiming it was for relatives of his abroad who are having financial difficulties, and […]

Hitler home town mayor fed up with saying sorry for the war

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Politics

The Mayor of Adolf Hitler’s home says he doesn’t want the building where the dictator was born to be turned into a memorial because the Fuhrer “only lived there for three years anyway”. Mayor Hannes Waidbacher from the conservative People’s party (OVP) said that instead he was keen to see the property that was previously […]

Minister wants rethink over GM foods after rat death study

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Politics

Austria’s minister for agriculture and the environment has called on the European Commission to review its approval process for genetically modified (GM) food after a controversial French study linked a kind of GM corn to higher health risks in rats. French scientists said that rats fed on Monsanto’s GM corn or exposed to its top-selling […]

Drachma reintroduction ‘would mean social explosion’

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Politics

A renowned economist has warned from reintroducing the drachma in Greece. Greek economic expert Miranda Xafa said such a step would cause “economic chaos and a social explosion”. She told profil that no one could guarantee the stability of the currency. Xafa added: “No Greek exporter, hotelier or restaurant owner would change their Euros for […]

EC warns debt-ridden Austria

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Politics

Austria has been criticised for its high public debts. The European Commission (EC) announced yesterday (Weds) the country – which became a member of the European Union (EU) in 1995 – must do more to reduce its debts. The state’s debt ranges around 74 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP). EU rules say […]

Graz coalition collapses

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Politics

People’s Party (ÖVP) Graz Mayor Siegfried Nagl has ended his faction’s partnership with the Greens. Nagl announced yesterday (Weds) that the Graz delegation of the ÖVP would not cooperate with the Greens after next year’s city parliament election regardless of the outcome. He criticised the Graz Greens for being unreliable when it comes to working […]

Greece can survive, says Schieder

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Politics

Social Democratic (SPÖ) Finance Secretary Andreas Schieder has claimed that Greece has the chance to rebuild its economy. Speaking to magazine profil, Schieder warned from speculating about the costs of a Greek Eurozone exit. He said it attempt of trying to evaluate the costs of such a scenario were “not serious”. The Social Democrat said […]

Political financing could be reformed

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Politics

The government is one step closer to passing a new party subsidisation law. Social Democratic (SPÖ) Media Secretary Josef Ostermayer – who represents his party in the talks with the opposition – expressed confidence regarding presenting the amendment in parliament in around two weeks’ time. SPÖ Chancellor Werner Faymann recently underlined that he wanted the […]

Government’s subsidisation reform suffers setback

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Politics

The government has failed to reach an agreement with the coalition concerning a reform of Austria’s party subsidisation system. Representatives of the government coalition of Social Democrats (SPÖ) and the conservative People’s Party (ÖVP) held talks with Green Party members, Freedom Party (FPÖ) officials and members of the Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ) […]