Kopf shrugs off Maier exit

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Politics

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 […]

Finance minister determined about sanctions

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Politics

Federal and provincial financial issues decision-makers have postponed their negotiations about the budget of the coming years. People’s Party (ÖVP) Finance Minister Maria Fekter said talks with the provincial governments’ finance councillors would continue next week. Fekter angered the politically muscular provincial parliaments by revealing plans to sanction provinces which breached the stricter new budget […]

Muzzled MP quits

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Politics

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 […]

Pirates ‘are anarchists’

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Politics

Josef Bucher, the head of the Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ), has harshly attacked the Pirate Party (PPÖ). The newly established political movements celebrated its first significant success earlier this week when it entered the city hall of Innsbruck, the capital of the western province of Tyrol. The PPÖ, which has a dramatically […]

Austria updates EC about financial strategy

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Politics

The Austrian government has informed the European Commission (EC) and Eurozone financial issues watchdogs about its budget path. Social Democrats (SPÖ) and People’s Party (ÖVP) filed a document to the political institutions’ headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, and Strasbourg, France, today (Weds). The paper features all detail information about how the coalition intends to erase the […]

BZÖ chief denies Stronach alliance

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Politics

Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ) boss Josef Bucher has dismissed claims that he plans a political partnership with Frank Stronach. Newspapers have speculated that the wealthy businessman – who founded car parts manufacturer Magna International in the 1950s – could subsidise the BZÖ after he spoke about plans to invest “several million Euros […]

Scheuch ‘will not plead guilty’

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Politics

Carinthian Freedom Party (FPK) boss Uwe Scheuch emphasised that he had no plans to plead guilty to unjust enrichment after a verdict against him was annulled. The Provincial High Court of Styria (OLG) in Graz announced last week it wanted the Court of Klagenfurt to re-examine the case again. OLG experts had to look into […]

Afghan demonstration against religious minority murders

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Politics

Members of the Afghan community in Austria are to take to the streets in order to protest against the systematic murders of the Hazara-Afghans in Pakistan, who thay say are being persecuted because of being Shia Muslims. Not only are they being hunted down by extremist religious groups, but also by individuals connected to the […]

Next round in ‘part of the game’ trail

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Politics

A provincial high court has annulled a controversial verdict against a leading right-winger. Carinthian Freedom Party (FPK) head Uwe Scheuch, the deputy governor of Carinthia, was found guilty of unjust enrichment by the Provincial Court of Klagenfurt last August. Scheuch was accused of offering political interference in exchange for a donation to his party. A […]

Pühringer leads trust index

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Politics

Josef Pühringer, the governor of the province of Upper Austria, is the most trusted People’s Party (ÖVP) politician. A new poll by OGM – published in the new edition of magazine profil – lists Pühringer ahead of Economy Chamber (WKO) President Christoph Leitl and Science Minister Karlheinz Töchterle. Leitl has often been rumoured to become […]