Austria and Eastern European countries - Latest headlines about bilateral relations in the areas of economy, business, diplomacy, culture and tourism
Eastern European Countries and Austria | Bilateral Relations
Viennese Honour for George Soros the Donor of the Central European University
The investor, philanthropist and sponsor of the CEU Central European University, George Soros, has been awarded the Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold for Services to the Province of Vienna.
November 19, 2019
Extradition of Oligarch Firtash to United States Remains "Suspended"
Although Austria has already agreed to the extradition of Dmytro Firtash, the latter may remain in Austria, as the resumption application submitted by his lawyers has a suspensive effect. During the meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Vadym Prystaiko, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg was confronted with the question of the state of affairs regarding Dmytro Firtash.
November 14, 2019
Ukraine: Schallenberg Meets New Ukrainian Foreign Minister Prystaiko
During his visit to the Ukrainian capital Kiev, Austria's Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg met the new Ukrainian counterpart Vadym Prystaiko, and highlighted the good bilateral relations between the two countries.
November 14, 2019 · Updated: November 14, 2019; 16:09
Belgrade and Vienna Sign Cooperation Agreement
Not only the Danube connects Vienna with the Serbian capital Belgrade, but now also a new city cooperation agreement with a focus on urban development, affordable housing, smart city, digitisation, open government and culture.
October 21, 2019
Counter-Terrorism in the Focus of UN and Interparliamentary Cooperation
Reinhold Lopatka elected Chairman of the High-Level Advisory Group on Combating Terrorism and Violent Extremism.
October 21, 2019
Celebration of the Imperial Accession to the Throne in Tokyo with Van der Bellen
President Van der Bellen takes part in the ceremony for the accession of the new "Tenno", Emperor Naruhito, to the throne in Tokyo and in the bilateral economic forum "Austria Connect Japan". Other items on the agenda include talks with the Presidents of Georgia and Estonia.
October 21, 2019
Worldwide Parliamentary Meeting: Presidents from 178 States Expected in Vienna
Austria will host the 5th World Meeting of the Interparliamentary Union (IPU) from August 19 to 21, 2020. Presidents of parliaments from 178 states and around 1,200 delegates are expected. This is the first time that a national parliament, the Austrian Parliament, has hosted this conference. The World Meeting will be organised in cooperation with the IPU and the United Nations.
October 16, 2019 · Updated: October 17, 2019; 14:45
EU Once Again Fails to Reach Deal on North Macedonia and Albania
The two Western Balkan states must continue to wait for the hoped-for start of EU accession negotiations. France, the Netherlands and Denmark blocked an EU decision in support of the two Balkan states and justified it with doubts about the progress of reforms. Austria has pledged its support until the last minute and has tried to turn the tide.
October 16, 2019
Overseas Investments: Number of Austrian Subsidiaries Abroad Increased By 2%
The number of foreign subsidiaries of Austrian companies that were part of a domestic group or owned by Austrian shareholders rose by 2.0% to around 6,000 in 2017.
October 14, 2019
Visit of the President of the Republic of North Macedonia to Austria
While the North Macedonian President Stevo Pendarovski pays his respects to Austria and the Federal President continues to strongly support the accession of North Macedonia into the European Union, it becomes known from Paris that France's President Emmanuel Macron is vetoing EU accession negotiations with the Balkan states of North Macedonia and Albania, as he apparently considers the progress made so far in the two countries to be insufficient.
October 11, 2019
Start of the Austrian-Slovenian Year of Neighbourhood Dialogue
The Federal Ministry for Europe Integration and Foreign Affairs opened the Austrian-Slovenian Year of Neighbourhood Dialogue with a concert with Austrian and Slovenian artists in the Viennese REAKTOR and in the presence of the Slovenian ambassador Ksenija Škrilec. More than 60 cultural events are planned in both countries until autumn 2020.
October 10, 2019
Vienna Just an Emergency Solution: What's the Future for the Central European University?
About a year after it was driven out of Hungary by Viktor Orban, the CEU has started its provisional operation in Vienna-Favoriten. Two new Master programmes in Business Administration and International Public Affairs were launched simultaneously. Within 5 to 6 years, the Vienna campus is to move to Baumgartner Höhe. But the CEU will never abandon Budapest as a location.
October 9, 2019
Schallenberg: Full Integration into the European Union for Albania
After his visit to North Macedonia, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg met with representatives of the Albanian state and city governments in Tirana.
October 8, 2019
Model European Parliament with 100 Participants in Vienna
Students from ten countries discussed European policy issues in the Great Redouten Hall of the Austrian Parliament.
October 8, 2019
Bulgarian Head of State Radew Met Austria's Heads of State
During the first official visit of the Bulgarian President Rumen Radev to Vienna, he met with President Van der Bellen in the Hofburg, Chancellor Bierlein in the Federal Chancellery and President Sobotka in Parliament.
October 7, 2019
IAEA: Eleven New Member Countries Elected to Board of Governors
Eleven countries have been newly elected to serve on the 35-member IAEA Board of Governors for the period 2019–2020. The election took place on Thursday 19 September at the plenary session of the IAEA General Conference.
September 20, 2019
New Croatian Foreign Minister in Vienna
The visit of the new Croatian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Gordan Grlić-Radman, to the Foreign Ministry in Vienna focused on the forthcoming EU Presidency, which Croatia will assume for the first time on 1 January 2020, as well as the possible start of EU accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania.
September 13, 2019
Who Will Become the Next IAEA Director General?
Following the death of Yukiya Amano, the IAEA is still looking for a new Director General. The Board of Governors of the IAEA has received 4 applications for the prestigious position of IAEA Director General from Argentina, Burkina Faso, Romania and Slovakia. The candidate must be approved by a two-thirds majority of the Board. Read on to find out who the candidates are.
September 10, 2019
Western Balkans: Meeting of Austria with the Heads of State of Croatia and Slovenia
Traditional meeting of the presidents of Croatia, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, Slovenia, Borut Pahor, and Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen in the Croatian coastal town of Šibenik. The objective was more common EU foreign policy.
September 5, 2019
Cultural Policy is a Cornerstone of Austrian Soft Power
The BMEIA Federal Ministry for Europe Integration and Foreign Affairs presented the achievements of Austrian foreign culture in the Vienna Konzerthaus (Auslandskulturtagung). In addition to the highlights of the past year, such as the Year of Remembrance 2018, the Cultural Programme during the Austrian EU Presidency and the bilateral Cultural Year with Albania, the central areas of activity of Austrian foreign cultural work were highlighted.
September 4, 2019
Schallenberg: "Europe is incomplete as long as the countries of the Western Balkans are not part of the EU"
Foreign Minister Schallenberg once again sees Austria within the framework of the EU as one of the strongest advocates for the Western Balkan states and calls at the informal meeting of EU foreign ministers in Helsinki for a rapid rapprochement of the Western Balkan states.
September 3, 2019
Paul Lendvai Celebrating His 90th Birthday
The Austrian journalist, author and presenter Paul Lendvai, who was born in Budapest, turned 90. He is considered a knowledgeable authority on Eastern and Southeastern Europe.
August 29, 2019
Slovakia's First Female President Comes to Austria
The newly elected Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová visits Vienna for an official visit and is welcomed there by the Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen. The visit will also include a meeting with Federal Chancellor Brigitte Bierlein.
August 28, 2019
Alignment of the Western Balkans with the EU: Slovenian Parliament President Met Sobotka
The President of the Slovenian Parliament Dejan Židan and the President of the Austrian National Council Wolfgang Sobotka met on the sidelines of the Salzburg Festival to discuss the rapprochement of the Western Balkans to the EU and the EU after the elections to the European Parliament.
August 20, 2019
Austrian Minister of the Interior: Observing Developments along the Western Balkans Route Closely
The North Macedonian Ambassador Nenad Kolev and Interior Minister Wolfgang Peschorn met for a working discussion in Vienna. In addition to bilateral cooperation, the topic of migration, in particular the Western Balkans route, formed the agenda.
August 13, 2019
EU Appoints Austrian Dr. Johann Sattler as New Special Representative to Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Council of the European Union appointed Johann Sattler as EU Special Representative (EUSR) in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He will also take over the role of the Head of the European Union's Delegation in Sarajevo.
August 9, 2019
RBI: Significant Decline in Profits in the First Half of 2019
Stock Exchange-listed RBI Raiffeisen Bank International recorded a significant 25% decline in profits in the first half of 2019. The consolidated profit generated was only €571 million, compared to €756 million in the first half of 2018.
August 8, 2019
BMW to Invest 28 Million Euros in Salzburg Location
Within the framework of a festive event under the theme "Good for Salzburg. Good for Austria." the BMW Group recently laid the foundation stone for its new BMW Group Campus Salzburg for Central and Southeastern Europe. BMW is investing 28 million euros in the expansion of 400 employees. The inauguration of the new campus is planned for autumn 2020.
August 5, 2019
Meet the New Resident Representative of Ukraine to the International Organizations in Vienna
The new Resident Representative of Ukraine to the International Organizations in Vienna, HE Mr. Yevhenii Tsymbaliuk, presented his credentials to Mary Alice Hayward, Acting Director General and Head of the Department of Management at the IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency. He also presented his credentials to Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV), Yury Fedotov.
August 5, 2019
Southeastern Europe Remains Focus of Austrian Foreign and Security Policy
The Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kemal Kozaric, and Interior Minister Wolfgang Peschorn met for a working meeting in Vienna. Bilateral cooperation and migration were on the agenda.
August 1, 2019
IAEA - Romanian Ambassador has been Designated Acting Director General
Ambassador Cornel Feruta of Romania, head-coordinator of the IAEA since 2013, has been responsible for coordinating the Agency's internal and external activities. As a consequence of the recent passing away of Director General Yukiya Amano, he has been designated Acting Director General at the IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency.
July 25, 2019
Updated Directory of Foreign Ambassadors in Austria 2019
Below you will find the updated Vindobona.org list of foreign ambassadors and representatives of the bilateral and multilateral missions and representations in Vienna, Austria (including description of persons, pictures, CVs, etc.).
November 19, 2018 · Updated: July 19, 2019; 11:50
Foreign Trade Gains with the Western Balkans
Exports worth 1.35 billion euros to the EU accession candidates of the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia) are balanced by imports to Austria worth 1.25 billion euros.
July 16, 2019
Central European University Accredited as Private University in Vienna
The Austrian accreditation procedure for the CEU Central European University was successfully completed, so that the university can now start its operations in Vienna. Until now, the university was accredited in the USA and Hungary, the teaching took place exclusively in Hungary.
July 12, 2019
Poznan Summit: Bringing Western Balkans Closer to EU Remains Priority
Chancellor Bierlein at the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Poland. The sixth Western Balkans Conference as part of the Berlin Process, which brings together heads of government from several EU states and their counterparts from the Western Balkans, dealt with connectivity at all levels.
July 9, 2019
How North Macedonia Learns from Austria - Best Practices on the Topic of Equal Treatment
During a visit of the delegations of the North Macedonian Ministry of the Interior and the OSCE Mission Skopje to the Federal Ministry of the Interior in Vienna, representatives of all sides exchanged views on the subject of equal treatment.
July 4, 2019
Austria Adopts Cultural Agreement with Ukraine
The Austrian National Council has decided on a cultural agreement with Ukraine, which is intended to strengthen cultural cooperation.
July 4, 2019
Oligarch Firtash May Be Extradited to the USA
The Ukrainian oligarch Dmytro Firtash may be extradited from Austria to the USA. The Supreme Court of Justice of Austria (OGH) confirmed a corresponding ruling of the Vienna Higher Regional Court (OLG) and dismissed both a nullity appeal of the General Procurator's Office and a renewal application by Firtash's defense counsel. The decision as to whether Firtash will actually be extradited lies now with the new Austrian Minister of Justice, Clemens Jabloner.
June 25, 2019
Strengthening Comprehensive Security in the OSCE Area
The OSCE’s Annual Security Review Conference in Vienna will discuss state of play of co-operation on comprehensive security in Europe and beyond.
June 25, 2019
First Visit Abroad Leads Foreign Minister Schallenberg to Finland
His first bilateral trip abroad took Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg to Helsinki. The trip focused not only on European policy issues but also on the EU Presidency, which Finland will take over on 1 July 2019.
June 25, 2019
Austrian Foreign Minister Schallenberg at EU Foreign Affairs Council for the First Time
In Luxembourg, Federal Minister Alexander Schallenberg represented Austria for the first time at the FAC Foreign Affairs Council and the Council of the European Union.
June 21, 2019
Austrian Parliament: Termination of EU Accession Negotiations with Turkey, Extension of Sanctions against Russia
In a statement to the government, the EU Main Committee of the Austrian National Council has unanimously spoken out in favour of breaking off EU accession negotiations with Turkey. Instead, the parliamentary groups believe that a strategic partnership should be sought.
June 21, 2019
Albania and North Macedonia: No EU Accession Negotiations for the Time Being, but Austria Still in Favor of It
The decision to start accession negotiations with Albania and Northern Macedonia was postponed. Several EU states are blocking enlargement in the Balkans. The EU committee of the Austrian Federal Council demands that the Western Balkans become part of the EU. The Austrian Federation of Trade Unions, on the other hand, warns against hasty new admissions.
June 20, 2019
Get to Know Austria's New Minister of Defence Thomas Starlinger
Thomas Starlinger (56) is an Austrian officer (Major General), consultant and politician. He is regarded as a proponent of a professional army. Most recently, he worked as an adjutant to Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen, who also appointed him Federal Minister of Defence on 3 June 2019.
June 18, 2019
Austrian Top Diplomat Albert Rohan Deceased
As one of his first duties the new Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg had to inform the public about the death of one of the most distinguished diplomats of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Albert Rohan died shortly after his 83rd birthday. He had played a crucial role in shaping Austrian foreign policy in numerous international functions.
June 5, 2019
Western Balkans: Austrians Demand EU Accession Negotiations Begin
After the EU Commission issued a recommendation for the opening of accession talks with the two Western Balkan states North Macedonia and Albania, the European parliamentarians of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) Karas and Mandl demand that the "promises" be kept. The decision to open accession talks will be taken by the Member States later in June.
June 5, 2019
Turkish - Austrian Diplomatic Efforts Bear Fruit
According to outgoing Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl, the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has promised in a telephone conversation to ease the Turkish blockade of Austria in the "Partnership for Peace (PfP)" programme. The PfP is a NATO program aimed at creating trust between NATO and non-NATO members.
June 3, 2019
40 Years of the UN in Vienna - The Tireless Commitment of António Guterres
UN Secretary General António Guterres completed a busy programme when he came to Vienna for the 40th anniversary celebrations and the R20 Austria World Summit. The VIC Vienna International Centre is the place where, with the help of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), the 193 member states, 15 Vienna-based UN organisations and more than 5000 people from 125 countries from around the world are bound together.
May 31, 2019
Diplomats for the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia 2019
More and more embassies, delegations and permanent representations to international organisations supported this day (IDAHOBIT), that raises awareness of LGBT rights violations and stimulate interest in LGBT rights work worldwide, as well as EuroPride 2019 in Vienna.
May 29, 2019
Putin and Van der Bellen Open Sochi Dialogue Forum
The Sochi Dialogue Russian Austrian Forum was opened in the Black Sea port city as part of a working discussion between Russian and Austrian representatives from politics, business, science, education, art and culture.
May 15, 2019
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