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Vienna International Community - People in the News - Latest Headlines
Read updated news about key players in Vienna's international community, such as expats, executives, politicians, diplomats, investors, artists and others.
Casinos-Austria Affair: Austria's Previous Finance Minister No Longer Available
Austria's former and potentially future Finance Minister Hartwig Löger is no longer available for another term in office. A connection with the current Casinos-Austria Affair, in which the Office of the Public Prosecutor for Economic Affairs and Corruption (WKStA) is investigating, would not exist.
November 13, 2019
Paris Peace Forum: "Protecting Civilians in Populated Areas"
At the Peace Forum, Austrian Chancellor Brigitte Bierlein met French President Emmanuel Macron, several Heads of State and Government and directors of international organisations. She also presented the initiative "Protecting Civilians in Populated Areas".
November 12, 2019
Repatriation: Round-Table with Representatives of African Embassies at the Ministry of the Interior
Embassy representatives from French-speaking African countries, representatives of the French Office for Immigration and Integration and representatives of the Austrian Ministry of the Interior met in Vienna to strengthen cooperation in the field of return and reintegration.
November 12, 2019
Prorussian Alexander Lukashenko Meets Van der Bellen
The President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in office since 1994 (now in his fifth term of office), was received by Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen during an official visit with military honours.
November 12, 2019
Austria Acquires Extraordinary Estate of Star Photographer Yoichi Okamoto
The Austrian National Library recently scored a special coup by purchasing the personal photographic estate of Yoichi R. Okamoto. The Japanese-American, who was promoted to official photographer of the White House under President Lyndon B. Johnson, was head of the American photography service in Austria from 1948 to 1954 and thus had the opportunity to capture post-war Austria directly with his camera.
November 7, 2019
Martin Weiss Accredited as New Austrian Ambassador in the United States
The newly appointed Austrian Ambassador Martin Weiss presented the copies of his credentials to U.S. Chief of Protocol Cam Henderson.
November 7, 2019
Current Austrian Ambassador to Israel to Become Top Diplomat in the United States
Ambassador Martin Weiss, the current Ambassador in Tel Aviv and former Speaker of the Austrian Foreign Ministry, will become the new Austrian Ambassador in Washington D.C., USA.
January 24, 2019 · Updated: November 7, 2019; 09:12
French "Ordre National du Mérite" Awarded to Major General Dorfer
François Saint-Paul, French Ambassador to Austria, has elevated Major General Martin Dorfer, Director in the Cabinet of the Minister of Defence, to the rank of Knight of the French National Order of Merit "Ordre National du Mérite".
November 6, 2019
Austro-Arab Chamber Secretary General Receives “Decoration of Merit in Gold of the Province of Vienna”
The AACC Austro-Arab Chamber of Commerce in Vienna announced that Secretary General Dipl.-Ing. Mr. Mouddar Khouja was awarded the "Decoration of Merit in Gold of the Province of Vienna", in recognition of his dedication and devotement to the province of Vienna through his personal initiatives and in his professional capacity as Secretary General of AACC.
November 4, 2019
Argentine Ambassador to Austria Rafael Grossi Appointed New IAEA Director General
Ambassador Rafael Mariano Grossi is set to take office as Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency in early December, following his appointment to the post by the Agency’s Board of Governors.
November 1, 2019
Presentation of the Intercultural Achievement Award 2019 - Dialogue is the "Art of Encounter"
Successful and innovative projects in the field of intercultural and interreligious dialogue have been awarded by the Federal Ministry for Europe Integration and Foreign Affairs.
November 1, 2019
New Head of the European Commission in Austria Took Up His Post
Martin Selmayr, until recently Secretary General of the European Commission and previously Head of Cabinet of President Jean-Claude Juncker, became Head of the Commission's Representation in Austria on 1 November. The Representation has around 20 staff and acts as a link between Brussels and the people, politics, business, media and interest groups in Austria.
October 31, 2019
Sobotka, Bures and Hofer Form New National Council Presidency
Parties staked out positions in the first debate in the newly elected Austrian National Council. Wolfgang Sobotka (ÖVP), Doris Bures (SPÖ) and Norbert Hofer (FPÖ) form the presidency of the new National Council. Wolfgang Sobotka elected President of the National Council with 143 of 163 valid votes. He called for respectful treatment and tolerance.
October 23, 2019
Inaugural Session of the Austrian National Council
The Austrian National Council was constituted today. 40 percent women, 56 newcomers, the Greens are back. The presidency, secretaries and stewards were newly elected. After the constituent session of the National Council, the Main Committee, the Incompatibility Committee, the Immunity Committee and the Budget Committee also met to constitute themselves and to appoint committee chairmen, secretaries and stewards.
October 23, 2019
Enthronement of Emperor Naruhito in the Presence of Van der Bellen
Guests from around 200 countries attended the ceremony of the enthronement of Emperor Naruhito in the Japanese Imperial Palace in Tokyo, including Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen and Doris Schmidauer.
October 22, 2019
City of Vienna Battles Airbnb & Co
Shortly before the new European Commission takes up its tasks, the City of Vienna is launching a new Europe-wide offensive to finally achieve clear rules for digital platforms such as Airbnb & Co.
October 22, 2019
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
Politburo Member of Communist Party of China Courted by Austria's Top Leaders
Yang Xiaodu, member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Chairman of the National Supervisory Commission of the PRC, visited Vienna and met with Alexander Van der Bellen, Wolfgang Sobotka, Clemens Jabloner and UNODC, among others.
October 17, 2019
Vienna's UNODC and China Sign Agreement on Combating Corruption
The United Nations and China, represented by the Chairmen of the National Supervisory Commission of the Peoples Republic of China, Yang Xiaodu - currently visiting Vienna - signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in combating corruption.
October 17, 2019
The Austrian Leadership Program Draws International Alumnis to Austria
The current round of the Austrian Leadership Program (ALPS) was dedicated to deepening and expanding existing contacts.
October 16, 2019
Turkey: Schallenberg Calls for an End to EU Candidate Status
The meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg focused on the Turkish military offensive in Northern Syria. In the run-up to the meeting, Foreign Minister Schallenberg emphasised that the military action was "simply wrong" and that it was now the EU's turn to take clear decisions.
October 16, 2019
Inaugural Visit of the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany Ralf Beste
The newly appointed Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany H.E. Mr. Ralf Beste met the First President of the National Council Wolfgang Sobotka in Parliament.
October 15, 2019
Visit of the President of the Republic of North Macedonia to Austria
While the 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
Writer Peter Handke Awarded Nobel Prize for Literature 2019
The Swedish Academy has awarded the Austrian writer Peter Handke the Nobel Prize in Literature 2019 "for an influential work that with linguistic ingenuity has explored the periphery and the specificity of human experience". The prestigious award is endowed with more than 800,000 euros.
October 10, 2019
Billionaire Heidi Horten Unveils Her Contemporary Museum Concept
Heidi Goëss-Horten has announced the winning architectural office, which will design the new museum of the Heidi Horten Collection in the Palais Goëss-Horten (Hanuschhof / Stöcklgebäude) until the beginning of 2022.
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
First Sub-Two Hour Marathon Challenge - Why Vienna Was Chosen?
Kenyan long-distance runner Eliud Kipchoge, the current marathon world record holder, plans to break the last great barrier of modern athletics - the 2-hour marathon. An epic challenge of this magnitude needs a suitable and equally grand location to do it justice, and the Prater in Vienna is the perfect fit - from the air quality to the climate.
October 7, 2019
Kurz Is Assigned the Mandate to Form a Government
Federal President Van der Bellen gave the mandate to form a government to the head of the Austrian People's Party, Sebastian Kurz. Kurz announced talks with all parties. The most discussed coalition variant is the cooperation with the Green Party.
October 7, 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
Election 2019: Five Parties Make Their Entry into the Austrian National Council
Five political parties will be represented in the newly elected Austrian National Council. In addition to ÖVP, SPÖ, FPÖ and NEOS, the Greens - after a two-year forced break - have also rejoined the House. The Liste JETZT, on the other hand, failed, as did the other small parties, at the 4% hurdle.
October 4, 2019
Government Formation: Party Leaders in the Presidential Chancellery
Next Monday, Federal President Van der Bellen will commission ÖVP leader Kurz to form a government.
October 2, 2019 · Updated: October 4, 2019; 13:03
Hearing of Austrian Commissioner-Designate Johannes Hahn
The Austrian EU Commission candidate Johannes Hahn passed the stress test in the EU Parliament.
October 4, 2019
Diplomatic Academy: Diplomacy is Profoundly the Art of Dialogue
At the opening ceremony of the Diplomatic Academy's 2019/2020 academic year, National Council President Sobotka underlined the importance of dialogue in international relations.
October 3, 2019
Austrian-American Hollywood Legend Eric Pleskow Has Died
Eric Pleskow, the expelled son of a Jewish merchant family in Vienna, Hollywood legend and Viennale president, died at the age of 95 in Connecticut.
October 2, 2019
Austrian Caretaker Government Demission and Re-Appointment
President Van der Bellen has entrusted the transitional government with the temporary continuation of the administration. Until a new government is formed, Chancellor Bierlein's government will remain in office.
October 1, 2019
Meet the Ambassador of Germany to Austria: H.E. Mr. Johannes K. Haindl
Ambassador Johannes K. Haindl is a lawyer and trained diplomat. He was the ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany in Vienna from 2015 to 2019. He has gained diplomatic experience in Germany, the United States, the Czech Republic, Turkey and the Western Balkans. He is married and has 3 children.
September 14, 2018 · Updated: October 1, 2019; 12:12
Juncker: EU Requires a Strong Austrian Voice
European Commission President Juncker congratulated Sebastian Kurz on his victory in the National Council elections.
October 1, 2019
Schallenberg: Human Rights are Simply Non Negotiable
Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg addressed the UN General Assembly, stressing the need for enhanced international cooperation.
September 27, 2019
Austrian President and Chancellor at UN General Assembly
President Van der Bellen, Chancellor Bierlein, Environment Minister Maria Patek and activist Anika Dafert attended the 74th UN General Assembly in New York.
September 25, 2019
Ambassador Kumlin Granit Takes Over from Ambassador Al-Hadid as New Chairperson of IAEA Board of Governors
The IAEA Board of Governors elected by acclamation Ambassador Mikaela Kumlin Granit of Sweden as the Chairperson of the IAEA’s Board of Governors for 2019–2020.
September 24, 2019
Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg at UN General Assembly
Tight schedule at the Annual General Meeting in New York City. Meetings with counterparts from Iran, Javad Zarif, Belarus, Vladimir Makei and Iraq, Mohamed Ali Alhakim and the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross Peter Maurer. A speech to the UN General Assembly is scheduled for Thursday. The strengthening of Vienna as a UN location is also on the agenda.
September 24, 2019
Austria's Oldest Holocaust Survivor Marko Feingold Dies at 106
The oldest Austrian survivor of the atrocities of National Socialism, Marko Feingold, was a significant contemporary witness to the Holocaust.
September 23, 2019
Meet the New Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, H.E. Prince Abdullah Bin Khaled Bin Sultan Al Saud
The new Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Austria, Prince Abdullah Bin Khaled Bin Sultan Al Saud presented Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen with his letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg. He is also non-resident ambassador to Slovakia and Slovenia.
September 20, 2019
Meet the New Ambassador of Qatar to Austria: H.E. Sultan Salmeen Al-Mansouri
The new Ambassador of Qatar to Austria, H.E. Sultan Salmeen Al-Mansouri presented Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen with his letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg.
September 20, 2019
Meet the New Ambassador of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay to Austria: H.E. Mr. Juan Carlos Ojeda Viglione
The new Ambassador of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay to Austria, H.E. Mr. Juan Carlos Ojeda Viglione presented Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen with his letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg.
September 20, 2019
Meet the New Ambassador of the Kingdom of Cambodia to Austria: H.E. Mr. Nom Piseth
The new Ambassador of the Kingdom of Cambodia to Austria, H.E. Mr. Nom Piseth presented Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen with his letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg.
September 20, 2019