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.

Commerzbank: Austria to Miss Budget Goals

Without a new austerity package, Austria will run up more debts than calculated in the bugdet plan, German Commerzbank says. The country’s AAA ratings are likely to decrease.

August 12, 2013

Czech Republic: Schwarzenberg to Run for Parliamentary Elections

The former Foreign Minister named “autocratic” President Zeman as a motivation.

August 10, 2013

Austria: Spindelegger Wants Reform Government

The next government has to be a “reform government”, according to Austrian Vice Chancellor Michael Spindelegger, since the one in office now has only shown little reform zeal.

August 9, 2013

Austria: Banks Indignant At Chancellor Faymann

Chancellor Werner Faymann has started the election campaign with an attack against the banks. However, CEO of Bank Austria Willibald Cernko points out that the banking industry secures 70,000 jobs in Austria.

August 9, 2013

Romania: Good Prospects for Economic Upturn

In Romania, the inflation forecast for 2013 and for 2014 has been lowered to 3.1 percent which is 0.1 percent less compared to previous figures.

August 9, 2013

Early Elections in Czech Republic Likely

After Czech’s new Prime Minister Jiri Rusnok failed the vote of confidence, there are many indicators that President Milos Zeman will announce early elections.

August 9, 2013

Hungary: Land Reform Evokes Conflict

“Hungarian soil belongs to Hungarian people“. This is the maxim of national-conservative ruling party of Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

August 8, 2013

Czech Government Loses Vote on Confidence

The cabinet of experts of Prime Minister Rusnok only receives 93 out of 200 votes. October may be the month for early elections.

August 8, 2013

Hypo Group: Reason for “Budget Lie”

The situation of ailing bank Hypo Alpe Adria may be worse than assumed. The supervisory board of the bank and the taskforce are discussing about the half-yearly report.

August 7, 2013

Serbia: Attempted Murder on Deputy PM Vucic Prevented

According to Belgrade daily “Nase novine“, Serbian Intelligence Service BIA was able to prevent an attempted murder on Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic.

August 7, 2013

Czech Republic: Will Rusnok Remain in Parliament?

Today, August 7, 2013, the members of parliament in Prague will carry out a vote on confidence on the new government of Prime Minister Jiri Rusnok. It is unlikely that Rusnok will remain in parliament.

August 7, 2013

„CESEE Will Come Back“

Andreas Brandstetter, CEO of the Austrian insurance group Uniqa, thinks that Central and Eastern Europe will recover.

August 6, 2013

RBI Considers Withdrawing from Hungary

The Austrian banking group Raiffeisen Bank International wants to focus on other markets. Hungary and Slovenia are shrinking markets, CEO Karl Sevelda says.

August 6, 2013

Bad Bank for Hypo Group?

According to market rumors, Austria´s government wants domestic banks to participate in a bad bank for the nationalized Hypo Group. Finance Minister Maria Fekter denies such reports.

August 5, 2013

CESEE: „Growth Story Did Not End“

In an interview with the Austrian newspaper “Presse”, chairman of the CEESEG supervisory board Willibald Cernko explains that Central and Eastern Europe needs a new growth model.

August 3, 2013

Austria: Verbund to Take Austerity Measures

Only a few months ago, CEO of Verbund Wolfgang Anzengruber promised that “2013 will become the best year in the company’s history”. However, there have been bad news for the energy company ever since.

August 1, 2013

Turkey: Tear Gas Against Protesters Again

Once more, the Turkish police uses tear gas to fight off protesters.

August 1, 2013

Serbia: No Early Elections Despite of Break of Coalition

Dismissal of Finance Minister Mladjan Dinkic. URS is leaving the governmental alliance. Despite of a break of the coalition, there will be no early elections in Serbia.

July 31, 2013

Czech Republic: Unwilling to Join Eurozone?

In 2012, the country missed two out of four criteria for the introduction of the single currency. According to the statistical office it was the worst result in five years. It is not yet clear when the Czech Republic is ready to join the Eurozone.

July 31, 2013

Romania: Drop of VAT on Bread and Baked Goods

Around 70 percent of Romanian bread and baked goods are sold on the black market. A drop in VAT is supposed to change that.

July 31, 2013

Slovenia Likely to Overcome Problems in Banking Sector

Slovenia’s problems in banking sector are controllable, according to experts.

July 31, 2013

Protests: Bulgaria in a Political and Social Crisis

Thousands of protesters are still marching the streets of Sofia. It is particularly the educated middle class that has had enough of the raging corruption of the political elite.

July 30, 2013

Slovenia Lures Russian Investors

Slovenia invites Russian investors to participate in privatization plans.

July 30, 2013

Russia: Stronger Regulations for Market for Consumer Loans

Business with consumer credits have started comparatively late in Russia. Now, the market is supposed to be regulated further.

July 29, 2013

Bulgarian Deputy PM: “They Want Social Justice“

In an interview with Austrian newspaper Standard, Bulgarian Justice Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Zinaida Zlatanova (40) talks about the reasons for the protest movement, planned reforms and critizism from abroad.

July 27, 2013

Czech Republic: President Zeman Names 15 New Ambassadors

The step had been delayed for several months over Zeman’s dispute with Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg over the filling of ambassadorial posts in Bratislava and Moscow.

July 26, 2013

Czech Republic to Remain in Recession

The Czech economy will, according to the Finance Ministry in Prague, shrink by 1.5 percent and only start growing again in 2014 by 0.8 percent.

July 26, 2013

Summit of Former Yugoslav Countries

Balkan leaders meet to support EU Accession.

July 26, 2013

72 Percent of Bulgarians Regard Situation as “Unbearable”

Every day since June 14 protesters are gathering in front of the parliament in Sofia to express their anger about corruption in the country and demand the current government to step down.

July 26, 2013

Poland: President Komorowski Most Trusted by Citizens

Poles trust president much more than party leaders.

July 26, 2013

Hungary Abandons Radical Resolution On Foreign Exchange Loans

Foreign currency denominated mortgages for home purchases shall be phased out.

July 25, 2013

Fekter: Debt reduction and tax reform are our absolute priorities

"We are on the right track"

July 25, 2013

Poland: First Signs of Recovery from Crisis

Deputy Finance Minister Janusz Cichon expressed his optimism about the country’s soon economic recovery via Twitter by referring to Poland’s industrial performance and retail sales in the last month.

July 25, 2013

Croatia Might Join Schengen Zone in Three Years

Croatia to start procedures for no-passport zone in 2015.

July 25, 2013

Austria: First Tax Tranche from Switzerland Transferred

The first tranche of the tax agreement between Austria and Switzerland in the amount of € 416.7m was transferred. Fekter considers it “a great success for Austria and the taxpayers”.

July 25, 2013

Bulgarian Protests As Sign of New Understanding of Values

The great wave of protests in Bulgaria continues to sweep the country. Experts regard the demonstrations as a sign of a new understanding of values.

July 25, 2013

Poland: Opposition Calls for Parliamentary Inquiry

PiS chief opposition calls for parliamentary inquiry into public finances.

July 24, 2013

Serbia and Bulgaria to Team Up in Energy Policy

Serbia and Bulgaria discuss South Stream, Nis-Sofia gas interconnection and the completion of the section of Corridor 10

July 24, 2013

Poland: Dispute Between NBP and Finance Ministry

Finance Minister Jacek Rostowski and Governor of Polish National Bank Marek Belka are blaming each other for the poor performance of Poland´s economy.

July 23, 2013

Hypo Group: Current Capital Injection Not Enough

Klaus Liebscher, head of the supervisory board of the nationalized Austrian problem bank, thinks that the Ministry of Finance will have to inject further money.

July 23, 2013

Orban: Not Joining Eurozone in the Next Ten Years

Hungary´s Prime Minister thinks that his country should not become a member of the euro area in the medium term.

July 23, 2013

Good Outlook for Austrian Airlines

CEO Jaan Albrecht thinks that the Austrian subsidiary of German Lufthansa will record positive results this year.

July 22, 2013

Federation of Austrian Industry Defends Group Taxation

The Federation of Austrian Industry (IV) argues that the Austrian business location would be endangered without the group taxation.

July 20, 2013

NBP Wants Government to Adapt Budget

After the Polish government has announced to postpone its austerity plans, the National Bank of Poland calls the government to submit an updated fiscal outlook.

July 19, 2013

Erdogan Attacks Banks

Turkey´s Prime Minister wants to strengthen his fight against the over-indebtedness of private Turkish households. According to Erdogan, banks are responsible for the unfavorable situation.

July 18, 2013

Spanish and Polish Prime Minister Support EU-US Free Trade Agreement

On the occasion of a state visit in Madrid, Poland´s Prime Minister Donald Tusk declared that the free trade agreement between the U.S. and the EU would be a driver for economic growth. The EU must strengthen its energy strategy, Tusk said.

July 16, 2013

„Austrian Banking Sector Still Weakly Capitalized“

Austrian National Bank (OeNB) criticizes that the domestic banking sector did not improve the equity base sufficiently.

July 16, 2013

Fekter: Horror Figures with Hypo’s Restructuring Plan.

The restructuring plan for Hypo Alpe Adria involves several scenarios, which Finance Minister Fekter does not want to mention. The “horror figures” tax payers are burded with are set up “in an apocalyptical way”, according to her.

July 15, 2013

Czech Republic: Gloomy Prospects for Economy

The Czech economy is shrinking. According to experts, new Prime Minister Jiri Rusnok will not be able to change much. Enterprises have started to cut back on investments.

July 12, 2013

Serbia to Invest € 10bn in Energy Sector

Serbia will invest € 10 bn in the development of the energy sector in the next eight years.

July 12, 2013