Austrian News

Austrian News: Read the latest headlines about developments in Austrian domestic politics with reference to the international interest

Hungary Does not Exclude to Increase Bank Tax

Prime Minister Orban refers to the pressure coming from Brussels. Hungary must reduce the budget deficit below 3.0% of GDP.

October 20, 2012

Polish Government: Austerity in Order to Enter Eurozone

The Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Radoslaw Sikorski says that Poland will fulfill the Maastricht Criteria in 2015.

October 19, 2012

Fekter Interested in Hungary´s Bank Taxation Plans

The Austrian Minister of Finance wants to analyse the taxation plans of the Hungarian government thoroughly. The bank taxes would be “highly interesting”, Fekter says.

October 19, 2012

Vienna Stock Exchange Wants Austrian Post to Become Privatized

Birgit Kuras, CEO of Vienna Stock Exchange, wants the Austrian state to reduce its 53% stake in Austrian Post.

October 19, 2012

Poland Starts Privatization Program

The Polish government wants to sell state-owned assets worth € 5bn.

October 18, 2012

RBI: We Will Not Leave Hungary

Herbert Stepic, CEO of Austrian RBI (Raiffeisen Bank International) is highly dissatisfied with Hungary´s decision not to reduce bank taxes. However, RBI will stay, he says.

October 18, 2012 · Updated: October 18, 2012; 17:08

Hungarian Tax Plans: Austrian Banks Annoyed

Because of the pressing need to reduce the budget deficit, Hungary´s government decided not to lower the bank tax. Moreover, the financial transaction tax will be doubled.

October 18, 2012

Hungary Doubles Financial Transaction Tax

The Hungarian Minister of Economics Gyorgy Matolcsy announced that the financial transaction tax will be increased to 0.2%. Moreover, the bank taxes will not be reduced.

October 17, 2012

Spindelegger in Romania: “Strategic interest in stable domestic conditions”

The Austrian Vice-Chancellor and Minister of Foreign Affairs meets Traian Basescu, President of Romania

October 17, 2012

Hungary Reaffirms Not to Enter Eurozone

After the meeting with Germany´s Chancellor Angela Merkel, Hungary´s Prime Minister Viktor Orban explained that the euro must offer a perspective again.

October 16, 2012

Austrian Budget: Experts Call for Further Reforms (Part 3)

Economists think that the budget does not contain enough reform steps. The opposition does not see any signs of progress.

October 16, 2012

Austrian Budget: Experts Call for Further Reforms (Part 2)

Austrian economic research institutes criticize the state budget and want the government to show more ambition.

October 16, 2012

Austrian Budget: Experts Call for Further Reforms (Part 1)

Today, the Austrian Finance Minister Fekter presented the 2013 Budget to Austrian National Assembly. The reactions were highly controversial.

October 16, 2012

FPÖ Files Suit Against ESM

The biggest Austrian opposition party files a legal complaint against the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) at the Austrian Constitutional Court.

October 15, 2012

Hungary Wants Foreign Land Owners to Leave

The Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban wants to bring back “stolen land”.

October 15, 2012

Voestalpine: Eder Does Not Exclude to Leave Austria

Wolfgang Eder, CEO of the Austrian steel company voestalpine, underlines to stay in Austria “as long as possible”.

October 15, 2012

Austrian Audit Court Criticizes Nationalization of Kommunalkredit

According to the Austrian Audit Court, the former owner of Kommunalkredit VBAG would have survived without the nationalization.

October 15, 2012

Austria to Violate Maastricht Criteria in 2012

This year, the Austria budget deficit will not be below the 3.0% threshold. This is mainly due to the banking package.

October 15, 2012

Spindelegger: Alpine Regions Should Co-Operate

Austrian Minister of Foreign Affairs calls for closer cooperation between the Alpine states.

October 15, 2012

Klaus: “Nobel Prize for EU is a Mistake”

The Czech President Vaclav Klaus criticizes the decision of the Nobel Prize Committee. For him, the decision is a “joke”.

October 13, 2012

Orban Blames EU for Austerity Cuts

The Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban explains that Hungary has no other choice but to deepen the austerity cuts.

October 13, 2012

EU Wants Austria to Reduce Bureaucracy

The Commission of the EU has presented its concept for the re-industrialization of Europe. Austria is well-positioned, but there is some potential for improvement.

October 13, 2012

Austrian Industry Reaffirms: „We need structural reforms”

The President of IV (Federation of Austrian Industries) Georg Kapsch argues that more justice cannot be achieved with new taxes.

October 13, 2012

Czech Government Attempts to Stimulate Growth

On the one hand, the Czech government deepens the austerity measures. On the other hand, growth-stimulating investments should be initiated.

October 13, 2012

Slovak Deficit to Reach 2.9% of GDP in 2013

The Slovak government approved the 2013 state budget. The deficit will be reduced step by step in the next years.

October 12, 2012

Czech National Bank Open for Interventions

At the moment, the Czech National Bank (CNB) sees no reason for weakening the exchange rate of the Czech Crown. However, CNB is ready to start interventions if necessary.

October 12, 2012

Austrian Economy Stagnates

According to Austrian National Bank (OeNB), the economic growth rate will be slightly negative. A recession is not excluded.

October 12, 2012

Austrian Foreign Ministry Wants “Better coordination for development cooperation”

"No single country can solve all the major problems of our time alone", Austrian State Secretary Reinhold Lopatka said at the "Development Dialogue" event in Parliament today.

October 12, 2012

Poland´s Budget Deficit “Will Not Be Bigger than Planned”

The Polish Minister of finance Jacek Rostowski stresses that the planned budget deficit will not be higher than PLN 35.6bn.

October 11, 2012

Austrian Post: New Supervisory Board President Elected

Rudolf Kemler was appointed as new chairman of the supervisory board.

October 11, 2012

Albania to Become Official Candidate

The Western Balkan country was recommended by the EU Commission. Serbia and Kosovo must reach a “sustainable solution”.

October 10, 2012

Orban Rejects Joining Eurozone

The Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban thinks that the introduction of the euro in Hungary would be “irresponsible”.

October 10, 2012

Fekter Welcomes Entry into Force of ESM

Austria´s Minister of Finance "No cause for celebration, however, as we are still in the middle of stabilising the Eurozone."

October 10, 2012

Austrian Presents Piorities for the “EU budget of the future”

State Secretary Lopatka in the EU Sub-Committee of the National Council.

October 10, 2012

Fekter Happy With Financial Transaction Tax

Austrian Finance Minister Maria Fekter: "We have only created the on-ramp to the highway – details and structure to follow by Christmas“

October 10, 2012

Serbia´s National Bank Fights Against Inflation

Today, the Serbian National Bank raised the base rate from 10.50% to 10.75%. IMF has lowered the economic outlook for Serbia.

October 9, 2012

“Austria´s Capital Market Needs Reforms”

The Federation of Austrian Industries (IV) calls for increasing the attractiveness of the Austrian capital market.

October 9, 2012

Austria´s Population to Grow Substantially

Austrian population will increase to 9 million inhabitants during the next 20 years.

October 9, 2012

Financial Transaction Tax to be Introduced

Now, the financial transaction tax has enough supporters. After months of negotiations, eleven EU member countries finally agreed on introducing a financial transaction tax.

October 9, 2012

Hypo Group: Difficult Negotiations with Austrian State

The nationalized banking group urgently needs a capital injection. This year, the capital shortfall will be reduced by € 1.5bn.

October 9, 2012

„Nabucco Is not Dead at All“

The EU-Commissioner of Energy Günther Oettinger is optimistic that Nabucco will be successful. According to Austria´s Minister of Economics Reinhold Mitterlehner, the prospects of success are “50+”.

October 9, 2012

Austria Appreciates Portugal’s Efforts of Budget Consolidation

State Secretary Lopatka meets with Portuguese State Secretary for EU Affairs, Luis Miguel Morais Leitão.

October 8, 2012

Flat Tax in Austria?

The Austrian opposition party presented a “fair tax” model. The other parties criticized the proposal fiercely.

October 6, 2012

Poland: Long-Term Unemployment Becomes Problematic for State Budget

According to the consulter Deloitte, Poland is losing billions because of the long-term unemployment.

October 6, 2012

Savers Must Pay for Debt Crisis

At the European Forum Alpbach, analysts explained that the debt crisis can only be solved through negative real interest rates.

October 6, 2012

Support for Financial Transaction Tax Keeps Within Limits

In order to introduce the tax, nine countries must agree thereon. The time pressure is growing.

October 6, 2012

"Vienna is becoming an energy hub"

New UN Office for Sustainable Energy opens in Vienna.

October 6, 2012

New Austerity Package in Hungary

In order to cut the budget defict below 3.0% of GDP in 2013, the Hungarian government plans further cuts and tax increases.

October 5, 2012

Poland´s Komorowski: “Strong Swiss Franc Causes Problems”

On the occasion of a visit in Switzerland, the Polish President Bronislav Komorowski explained that the strong Swiss franc is a problem for both countries.

October 5, 2012

Slovenia to Sharpen Austerity Measures

The Slovenian centre-right government announces new austerity cuts. The budget deficit should be lowered to 3.0% of GDP.

October 5, 2012