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Austria - International Political News
Read the latest headlines about developments in Austrian foreign politics with reference to the international interest
Ukraine Wants to Boycott OSCE-Meeting Because of Russian Delegation
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is not going through its best times. Especially Austria’s role in it. After many countries sent an open letter to Austria to disinvite the Russian delegation from the Parliamentary Assembly, countries are now boycotting the meeting.
February 16, 2023
Moscow Expels Four Austrian Diplomats from Russia
Russia has announced that it will expel four Austrian diplomats. In addition to the expulsion of the Austrian diplomats, the Austrian ambassador in Moscow, Werner Almhofer, was also cited to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This comes as a kind of retaliation after Vienna itself expelled four Russian diplomats a few weeks ago.
February 16, 2023
New Year’s Reception for the Diplomatic Corps at Austrian Presidential Chancellory
Austria's President Alexander Van der Bellen hosted the New Year's reception for the Diplomatic Corps in the Ceremonial Hall of the Vienna Hofburg. Van der Bellen used his speech to clarify Austria's diplomatic goals and Austrian Neutrality.
February 16, 2023
Austrian Security Policy Handbook Presented in Japan
To increase knowledge of the European Union's Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP) and thus lay the groundwork for cooperation, the Austrian Common Security and Defense Policy Handbook was translated into several Asian languages. This handbook has now been presented in Japan.
February 15, 2023
OSCE Chairman-in-Office Bujar Osmani Visits Moldova
The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Chairman-in-Office and Foreign Minister of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani visited Moldova. The country needs the support of the OSCE as it could be next on Russia’s list after Ukraine.
February 14, 2023
Russian Ambassador Lyubinsky Criticized Austria
Russia's Ambassador to Vienna Dmitry Lyubinsky detects an erosion of Austria's neutrality status and sees a "huge minus sign" in front of Russian-Austrian relations. However, Lyubinsky also spoke of maintaining contacts with influential people in Austria.
February 13, 2023
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken Received Austria's Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg
Secretary of State Antony Blinken hosted Austria's Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg in Washington, D.C., as a sign of the strong transatlantic partnership. In the first bilateral meeting between the two foreign ministers, the two discussed cooperation on the Russo-Ukrainian war, the Western Balkans, the expansion of Austria's Strategic Partnership with the United States, and the Turkish earthquake disaster.
February 12, 2023
Federal Police Director Emphasizes Importance of EU External Border Protection
Austrian Federal Police Director Michael Takács took part in the “Effective Management of EU Borders” conference in Bulgaria’s capital, Sofia. The conference had two central themes: protecting EU external borders and combating smuggling.
February 12, 2023
Austria's Vice-Chancellor and Sports Minister Kogler Against Russia's and Belarus's Participation in the 2024 Olympics
Unlike the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Austrian Olympic Committee (ÖOC), Austria's Vice Chancellor and Sports Minister Werner Kogler is strictly against Russia's and Belarus's participation in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. According to Kogler, "it is simply unacceptable for Ukrainian athletes to compete against Russian and Belarusian athletes in the fight for medals."
February 9, 2023
Austria Obligated to Grant Visas Says OSCE
The Organization for Cooperation and Security in Europe (OSCE) has decided in a parliament assembly that Austria must grant visas to all visiting member states, including Russia. The visas for the Russian Delegation have caused quite some controversy in the last week however, the visa issues seem to be settled.
February 8, 2023
Chancellor Nehammer Threatens to Block Summit Declaration Because of Migration Issues
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer has threatens to block a summit declaration of all EU heads of state. The reason for this is that the Chancellor is opinionated that the EU does not put enough work into the issue of migration.
February 8, 2023
Minister Schallenberg Visits the USA
Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg visited the USA, where he will meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Austria is a relevant geostrategic partner to the U.S. in many areas such as Western Balkan politics or the Ukraine subject.
February 7, 2023
Schallenberg Defends his Stance Regarding the Russians
Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg has defended his position to allow the Russian delegation to enter the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly by trying to keep a communication channel open.
February 6, 2023
Austria's Agriculture Minister Totschnig against Mercosur Agreement
Austria's Agriculture Minister Norbert Totschnig is against ratification of the Mercosur trade agreement. In his opinion, the agreement with South America would put domestic farm families and supplies under pressure.
February 6, 2023
Slovak President Čaputová Received Austrian President Van der Bellen
Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová received Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen in Bratislava. Among other things, they discussed further aid to Ukraine, which is under attack from Russia.
February 5, 2023
Open Letter to Austria to Disinvite Russian Delegation
Over 80 representatives from 20 different countries have asked Austria in an open letter to disinvite members of the Russian delegation from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly concerning the anniversary of the Russo-Ukrainian war.
February 2, 2023
President Van der Bellen Reassured Support for Ukraine
Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen met with his counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy to reassure Austria’s support for Ukraine. He also visited several humanitarian organizations doing their best they can to help and rebuild Ukraine.
February 2, 2023
Austria Expels Four Russian Diplomats
Austria expels four Russian diplomats. This was announced by the Foreign Ministry, according to a statement. The four diplomats are accused of "incompatible actions" with their diplomatic status. This expulsion, however, goes beyond espionage and incompatible acts, according to experts.
February 2, 2023
Austria Stuck in a Dilemma at the OSCE
Austria may cause some controversy at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Cooperation and Security in Europe (OSCE) in Vienna by letting sanctioned Russian politicians enter the country and granting them visas. Moreover, of all days, the Parliamentary Assembly will be held on February 23 and 24.
February 1, 2023
Premiere for the TechDiplomacy Talk at the Austrian Foreign Ministry
On the occasion of the Vienna visit of the United Nations Envoy for Technology, Under-Secretary-General Amandeep Singh Gill, a TechDiplomacy Talk was held at the Austrian Foreign Ministry. Read more about the premiere of the new format!
February 1, 2023
Minister Edtstadler Met With Hungarian Minister Varga in Vienna
Austrian Europe Minister Karoline Edtstadler has met with the Hungarian Minister of Justice Judit Varga in Vienna where they talked about current challenges such as illegal immigration and the Russian aggression on Ukraine.
January 31, 2023
OSCE Condemns Russia’s Decision to Outlaw Independent News Outlet Meduza
Moscow continues its campaign against opposition Russian media with unabated vigor. The Riga-based web portal "Meduza" is banned completely in Russia. The OSCE denounced the Russian authorities’ decision to outlaw one of the most popular Russian-language news portals.
January 31, 2023
Chancellor Nehammer Visited Georgia
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer has visited Georgia and expressed his support for the country’s EU integration. He also understood the complicated situation and showed comprehension regarding the Russia sanctions.
January 30, 2023
Thriller Surrounding Ex-Chief of Belarusian Raiffeisen Subsidiary
The head of the Belarusian Raiffeisen subsidiary Priorbank and ex-honorary consul of Austria in Belarus has now been released after a period of imprisonment. The Austrian diplomat Sergey Kostyuchenko, who is said to have made great contributions to bilateral relations between Minsk and Vienna, was a political prisoner of Alexander Lukashenko's regime over the last year.
January 30, 2023
IAEA Pushes for a Safe Zone in Zaporizhzhia
Due to recent attacks in Zaporizhzhia, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) once again called to establish a security zone at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.
January 29, 2023
EU Extends Sanctions Against Russia
The European Union is extending its economic sanctions against the Russian Federation for the aggression in Ukraine. The sanctions will be extended for a half year now.
January 29, 2023
International Vaccine Institute Opens an Austrian Office
International Vaccine Institute (IVI), an international health organization dedicated to developing, delivering, and evaluating vaccines for global health, announced the opening of its Austrian Country Office.
January 26, 2023
Moscow Bans Oldest Russian Human Rights NGO Related to OSCE
A court in the Russian capital has ordered the closure of the Moscow Helsinki Group, a human rights organization founded in Soviet times. The Russian Justice Ministry's request for liquidation was granted, Judge Mikhail Kazakov ruled in the Moscow City Court. The OSCE strongly condemns this, especially since the Helsinki Group is linked with the establishment of the OSCE itself.
January 26, 2023
United States Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh Visits Austria
Marty Walsh, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor, visited Austria and learned about best practices in apprenticeship training from several government and industry representatives. This was a further expansion of bilateral relations based on the Memorandum of Understanding signed in April 2022 to strengthen cooperation between the U.S. and Austria in apprenticeship training.
January 25, 2023
Bosnia and Herzegovina is the New FSC Chairmanship of the OSCE
Bosnia and Herzegovina was recently appointed to hold the Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC) Chairmanship for the first term of 2023. Each meeting's agenda is set by the Chairmanship, which emphasizes issues concerning the implementation of commitments adopted by the Forum. Bosnia and Herzegovina shows empathy with Ukraine, due to the country's own history of violent conflicts.
January 24, 2023
Schallenberg Attended the Foreign Council Affairs Meeting in Brussels
Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg attended the Foreign Council Affair meeting in Brussels, where he talked about several topics regarding European Security and other subjects.
January 24, 2023
Chancellor Nehammer Requests Two Bio. Euros for Bulgaria’s Border Protection
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer asked the EU Commission for two Bio. Euros to support Bulgaria’s border control. Nehammer and the Minister of Interior Gerhard Karner observed the situation this week at the Bulgarian-Turkish border.
January 24, 2023
Accusations of Violence Against Designated Bangladeshi Ambassador to Austria
Former Bangladesh Foreign Director General Mohammad Tauhedul Islam is designated to be the next Bangladeshi Ambassador to Austria. However, he is facing serious accusations which are halting his next career move.
January 24, 2023
IAEA Chief Grossi and Austrian Foreign Minister Schallenberg Visit Brussels
Austria recorded a small but significant diplomatic success at Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg's visit to the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels. Already in the run-up to the meeting, the EU foreign ministers met Rafael Grossi, Director General of the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), on the initiative of Foreign Minister Schallenberg.
January 23, 2023
OPEC Fund Mobilizes $1 Billion for Development Financing
OPEC Fund for International Development mobilizes $1 billion for development finance with "groundbreaking" first SDG bond. The bond was priced based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) bonds, for which Credit Agricole CIB served as the sole sustainability advisor.
January 22, 2023
Schallenberg Warns About Nuclear Weapons on the Anniversary of the TPNW
On the second anniversary of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg gave strong warnings about the threats and use of nuclear weapons.
January 22, 2023
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Welcomed OSCE Chairman-in-Office Bujar Osmani in Kyiv
The Organisation for Cooperation and Security (OSCE) Chairman-in-Office and Macedonian Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani met with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky. Osmani ensured support for Ukraine during Russia’s “unjustified and unprovoked war”.
January 17, 2023 · Updated: January 20, 2023; 12:00
OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Bujar Osmani Presented North Macedonia’s Plan at the Permanent Council
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Chairman-in-Office and Macedonian Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani presented the country’s priorities and plans for the year 20223 at the permanent council. The top priority he addressed was Russia’s aggression on Ukraine.
January 12, 2023 · Updated: January 20, 2023; 12:00
Exchange of Topics Between Foreign Minister Schallenberg and his Counterpart of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani
Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg met with his Macedonian counterpart Bujar Osmani, where they discussed several topics including topics regarding the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). From January 1, North Macedonia has taken over as the chair of the organization for this year.
January 11, 2023 · Updated: January 20, 2023; 12:00
North Macedonia Takes Over OSCE Chair for 2023
From January 1, 2023, North Macedonia takes over the OSCE Chair. In addition to the focus on the crisis regions and above all the military aggression against Ukraine, the country's priorities as chairman will be the re-affirmation of the benefits of the OSCE and the restoration of dialogue and trust.
January 2, 2023 · Updated: January 20, 2023; 12:00
Foreign Minister Schallenberg Met With His Macedonian Counterpart Bujar Osmani
Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg had a meeting with his counterpart of North Macedonia Bujar Osmani. Since North Macedonia will hold the OSCE Chairmanship in 2023, they discussed a lot of OSCE-related topics.
December 14, 2022 · Updated: January 20, 2023; 12:00
Macedonian Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani Visits Vienna
The Foreign Minister of North Macedonia, Bujar Osmani, met in Vienna with the Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg, as well as with the OSCE leadership, as North Macedonia will assume the OSCE Chairmanship for 2023.
September 1, 2022 · Updated: January 20, 2023; 12:00
Austrian President Van der Bellen Admits Mistakes Regarding Putin
In a recent interview, Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen explained how he feels about obvious mistakes made during his first term in office. In his opinion, this also includes his words of praise for Austrian-Russian relations and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
January 19, 2023
Romania’s Ambassador to Austria Returns to his Position
Romania’s Ambassador to Austria Emil Hurezeanu is returning to its position in Vienna. He was recalled after Austria blocked Romania’s Schengen accession in December.
January 19, 2023
Serbia's Complicated Relationship with Russia
Serbia's relatively close relationship with Russia, while based on a somewhat haggard history, has been rather positive in recent years. Since Russia's attack, but also before, this relationship has been crumbling more and more. There are several reasons for this, some of which are currently intensifying.
January 19, 2023
Austrian Companies Remain Strong in Russia
Many Austrian companies are active in Eastern Europe, especially in the Balkans, Ukraine and Russia. Especially in Russia, the activity of Austrian companies has been very successful but is controversial due to the Russian attack on Ukraine. According to research by the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE), almost a year after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, two-thirds of the previously present companies from Austria are still active in Russia.
January 18, 2023
Ukraine Criticises Schallenbergs Statement
Ukraine has criticized Austrian Foreign Ministers’ statement of “overshooting the mark” regarding the visa ban on Russian citizens. Ukrainian officials are not pleased with this statement and Invited Alexander Schallenberg to Dnipro.
January 17, 2023
Armenian Foreign Minister Visits Vienna Because of Nagorno-Karabakh's Worsening Humanitarian Situation
Armenia's Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan is currently on a working visit to Vienna to participate in the Special Meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council initiated by Armenia, due to the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh. In addition, Mirzoyan met with Ghada Fathi Waly, the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna and with Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg.
January 17, 2023
First Meeting Between Austrian and French Foreign Ministers in Paris
Austria's Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg traveled to Paris for various working talks and meeting to strengthen Franco-Austrian relations. There was also the first bilateral meeting between Austria's Schallenberg and France's Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna.
January 17, 2023
Swiss President Alain Berset Visited Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen
Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen welcomed the newly inaugurated Swiss President Alain Berset. It is a tradition that newly inaugurated Swiss Presidents make their first state visits abroad in Austria. Berset also met with Chancellor Karl Nehammer, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg, and many more Austrian politicians.
January 16, 2023