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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
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
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
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 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
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
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 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
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
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
Multilateralism: Austrian Delegation at UN General Assembly in New York City
Federal Chancellor Brigitte Bierlein is attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York together with Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg and Sustainability Minister Maria Patek. Schallenberg speaks as Austria's representative.
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
Inaugural Visit of the New Evangelical Lutheran Bishop Chalupka
The intertwining of climate change and justice as well as the responsibility of man and the Protestant Church before God were central points of the discussion.
September 10, 2019
The European Way: Meet the Team of Ursula von der Leyen
At the heart of the new Commission's work is the need to address the changes in climate, technology and demography that are transforming European societies and way of life. Von der Leyen has structured and presented her team according to these requirements. Read below where the 27 commissioners come from and what they represent.
September 10, 2019
Austrian Johannes Hahn Becomes EU Budget Commissioner
Today, Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen presented her team and the new structure of the next European Commission. Austrian Johannes Hahn will be in charge of Budget and Administration, and will report directly to Von der Leyen. According to the President-elect von der Leyen, as a long-serving member of the College, he knows about the importance of nurturing a modern administration.
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
What Do You Know About the Austrian Federal President Van der Bellen
Alexander Van der Bellen is an Austrian economist, former politician of the Green Party and since 26 January 2017 ninth Austrian Federal President of the Second Republic.
October 4, 2018 · Updated: September 2, 2019; 20:02
Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová's First Visit to Vienna
The first visit of the newly elected Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová to Vienna led to Alexander Van der Bellen and Federal Chancellor Brigitte Bierlein.
September 2, 2019
Ban Ki-moon at the Forum Alpbach: Promoting the SDGs in Europe with a Global Mindset
Delivering a keynote, Chairman Ban Ki-moon encouraged all national leaders to act as global leaders with a global citizenship mindset, which he said is a truly crucial asset for every individual to have in order to achieve sustainable development in a global society.
August 29, 2019
Defence Minister Starlinger Emphasises Importance of Interdisciplinary Cooperation in Defence Policy
Austrian Defence Minister Thomas Starlinger reports on cooperation between his department and various institutes in the field of security and defence policy.
August 29, 2019
European Forum Alpbach: Promoting the SDGs in Europe
At the European Forum in Alpbach, Tyrol, experts, diplomats and politicians discussed the promotion of UN sustainability goals in 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
USA and Austrian Ministry of the Interior Intensify International Cooperation
During his meeting with the Austrian Minister of the Interior, Wolfgang Peschorn, the US Ambassador to Austria, Trevor Traina, spoke among other things about the continuation of cooperation in the fields of organised crime and counter-terrorism.
August 24, 2019
Ibizagate: New Book Proves Allegations Against Former Freedom Party Leader Strache
A secretly recorded video led to the fall of Austrian Vice Chancellor Heinz Christian Strache and Deputy Leader of the Freedom Party Johann Gudenus in May. Now the journalists of the Süddeutsche Zeitung who took part in the unveiling describe what else could be seen on the Ibiza video and how Strache was tempted to behave corruptly.
August 22, 2019
Austria's Great Labour Unionist Rudolf Hundstorfer Deceased
The former head of the Austrian Federation of Trade Unions (ÖGB) and social minister Rudolf Hundstorfer died at the age of 68 on holiday in Croatia due to a heart attack.
August 20, 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
Meet Austria's New Minister of Finance Eduard Müller
Eduard Müller (58) is an Austrian civil servant and since June 3rd, 2019 Federal Minister of Finance (Secretary of the Treasury) in the Austrian Federal Government Bierlein. In addition to this function, he is also responsible for public service and sports.
August 15, 2019
European Commission: Changing of the Guard in Austria
Dr. Martin Selmayr takes over the position of Head of Representation in Austria from Dr. Jörg Wojahn as of 1 November 2019. Mr. Wojahn has been appointed as the new Head of the European Commission's Representation in Berlin.
August 13, 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
Head of the European Commission in Vienna Leaves for Berlin
The current head of the EC European Commission in Vienna, the German citizen Dr. Jörg Wojahn, will move back to Germany as Head of the European Commission's Representation in Berlin.
August 7, 2019
Meet Austria's Minister of Education Iris Eliisa Rauskala
Iris Eliisa Rauskala (41) is an Austrian economist and civil servant. She was appointed Federal Minister for Education, Science and Research in the Austrian Federal Government Bierlein. She grew up almost five years in Finland and then in Upper Austria. After her appointment she outed herself in interviews with the media as an openly lesbian woman.
August 6, 2019
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