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Vienna International Community - Top Politicians - Latest Headlines
Read updated news about key politicians in Vienna's international community


On Behalf of EU: Lithuanian, Romanian and Austrian Foreign Ministers Travel to South Caucasus

The Foreign Ministers from Lithuania, Romania and Austria have visited the South Caucasus countries Azerbaija, Armenia and Georgia on behalf of EU External Relations Commissioner Josep Borrell. Read everything about the details of the trip below.
June 28, 2021


Venezuela and Colombia Receive Support from Austria

In the midst of a humanitarian crisis in Venezuela and Colombia, the Austrian government has decided to support the two Latin American countries and to additionally substantially increase the UNHCR funding. Read more below.
June 28, 2021


Kosovo's President Meets Van der Bellen in Vienna

Kosovo's President Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu traveled to Vienna to meet with her Austrian counterpart Alexander Van der Bellen. The main topics of their discussion were the progress in the EU accession process and bilateral cooperation in various fields. Read more about the meeting below.
June 24, 2021


Saudi Arabia Aims to Deepen Relations with Austria

During a working visit by the Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah Al Saud in Vienna, he and his Austrian counterpart Alexander Schallenberg have agreed on expanding trade relations and other economic cooperations. Read more below.
June 23, 2021


EU Holds First Accession Conference with Serbia and Montenegro

At the General Affairs Council, which precedes the grand European Council, Austrian Minister for European Affairs Karoline Edtstadler has once again spoken out in favor of including Serbia and Montenegro in the EU. Other topics were the relations with Switzerland and the controversial Hungarian "anti-pedophile" law. Read more below.
June 23, 2021

Covid-19 in Austria: 50% of Total Population Vaccinated, Focus on Young Adults
Austria has reached the milestone of vaccinating 50 percent of all people in Austria. The pace of Covid-19 vaccinations remains high and Vienna will particularly focus on young adults in July. Read more about the developments below.
June 22, 2021


Schallenberg and EU Foreign Ministers Agree on Sanctions Against Belarus

At the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) the EU Foreign Ministers have agreed upon renewed and tightened sanctions against the Belarusian regime. Austrian Foreign Minister Schallenberg warns that the agreed measures must not hit the civil society. Read more below.
June 22, 2021


Von der Leyen Approves Austrian Economic Comeback in Vienna

During her visit to Vienna, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has delivered the good news that Austria is to receive EUR 3.5 billion worth of EU grants. The budget will be mainly available for investments and reforms in the areas of environmental and digital transformation.
June 22, 2021

Covid-19 in Austria: Austrian Green Passport Fully Operational
The Austrian Green Passport is fully functioning and ready for the EU-wide solution in July. Now, the EU-compliant QR codes for proof of vaccination, testing or recovery can be accessed and showed when necessary.
June 21, 2021


Vienna Hosts Western Balkan Summit

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has invited political leaders from various Western Balkan countries to Vienna to discuss current issues on an European as well as on a bilateral level. Read more below to find out what was discussed.
June 21, 2021


Austria Remains Top of the World in SDG Performance

In the recently published Sustainable Development Report 2021 by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, Austria makes the 6th place. Read more about other European countries in the rating and how Austria performed.
June 18, 2021


Vienna Introduces New Parking Regulations

Vienna is introducing a new parking system as of March 2022. The new regulations will apply to all 23 districts and will additionally standardize prices. Read more about the new rules below.
June 18, 2021

Covid-19 in Austria: What Applies As of July 1?
The Austrian government has announced further relaxations of the Covid-19 measures starting in July. The curfew will be lifted and the obligatory FFP2 masks will be replaced by a normal mouth-nose protection in most public areas. Read more about what applies as of July 1.
June 17, 2021


Prague and Vienna Enter Into Cooperation Agreement

The Czech and Austrian capitals have agreed on a cooperation agreement that will cover information exchange in the fields of digitalization, sustainable development, and transport management. Read more about the agreement below.
June 17, 2021

Covid-19 in Austria: Free Test Offer to be Expanded
The Austrian Ministry of Health has announced that it will expand its pharmacy test offer even further. Soon, children from the age of 10 can pick up self-tests free of charge. Read everything about the new regulation below.
June 16, 2021


Europa Forum Wachau: "Include Western Balkans in EU Programs"

At the 25th Europa Forum Wachau, Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg spoke out in favor of finding creative approaches to bind the Western Balkan states to the EU even before a possible EU accession.
June 16, 2021


GLOBSEC Forum in Slovakia: Heger and Kurz Demand Reforms in Exchange for Economic Aid

At a working meeting and at the GLOBSEC Forum in Bratislava, Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger and Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz discussed, among other things, the importance of EU's reconstruction fund and how aid should be distributed. Read more below.
June 16, 2021


EU Sets Stage for Green Passport

The European Union has agreed on the legislation of an EU wide COVID digital certificate. The certificate should facilitate travel within Europe and increase cross-border movement as of July 1. Read more below.
June 15, 2021


Malta and Austria Demand Peace for Libya

At a bilateral meeting between the Maltese Foreign Minister Evarist Bartolo and his Austrian counterpart Alexander Schallenberg in Malta, both politicians spoke out in favor of increased support for the Libyan population that has long suffered from the hostile situation in the North African country.
June 15, 2021



South Korean President in Vienna


The South Korean President Moon Jae-in has met his Austrian counterpart Alexander Van der Bellen and the Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz in Vienna to discuss the Covid-19 pandemic and a strategic partnership.
June 15, 2021

Covid-19 in Austria: 2 Million Have Full Immunization
More than 2 million people and thus one in four of the vaccine-eligible population in Austria are fully immunized. In total, more than 6 million vaccines have been administered.
June 14, 2021


Lithuanian Prime Minister in Vienna: "Situation in Belarus Unacceptable"

In her visit to Vienna, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė demands the immediate release of all political prisoners in Belarus. Austria's Chancellor Kurz and Šimonytė share very similar concerns regarding Belarus. Read more below.
June 14, 2021


Switzerland and Austria Sign Strategic Partnership Agreement

Switzerland and Austria enter in an era of even greater cooperation. The Swiss Foreign Minister, Ignazio Cassis, and his Austrian counterpart, Alexander Schallenberg, have signed a strategic partnership agreement.
June 14, 2021


EU Commission Takes Legal Action Against Austria

The European Commission has taken legal action against Austria and other Member States that fail to comply with EU law. In the case of Austria, several allegations have been put forward. Read more about them below.
June 11, 2021


Zeman and Van der Bellen Urge Better Relations with Russia

At a bilateral meeting in Vienna, Czech President Miloš Zeman and his Austrian counterpart Alexander Van der Bellen have agreed on the necessity to include Russia in Europe and demand negotiations with the Kreml. Read more below.
June 11, 2021

Covid-19 in Austria: What Applies Now?
As of today, June 10, Austria faces fewer restrictions. While the curfew for restaurants is being extended to 12 a.m. now, even fewer restrictions will be in place in July. Read more about what applies now below.
June 10, 2021


Austria's Demand for EU Accession of Western Balkans Finds EU Support

At a virtual conference with Foreign Ministers of Western Balkan countries and numerous EU Foreign Ministers, the latter ones vehemently supported the EU accession process of Albania, North Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo. Read more below.
June 9, 2021


Van der Bellen in Italy: "The Pandemic Can be Considered Overcome"

On his visit to Rome and the Vatican, Austria's President Alexander Van der Bellen and his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella are optimistic that the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, such as lockdowns and travel restrictions, can be considered overcome.
June 8, 2021

Covid-19 in Austria: Half of the Population is Vaccinated
Half of the vaccine-eligible Austrian population has received its first Covid-19 vaccination. This number corresponds to about 4 million people, while close to 2 million people have already received full immunization.
June 8, 2021


IAEA Urges Iran to Resolve Issues Related to Four Undeclared Locations

Technical discussions between the IAEA and Iran have not yielded the expected results, and the lack of progress in clarifying the Agency’s questions concerning the correctness and completeness of Iran’s safeguards declarations seriously affects the ability of the IAEA to provide assurance of the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme, according to Rafael Mariano Grossi.
June 8, 2021


EU Accession: "Without Stability in the Western Balkans, There can be no Stability in Europe"

During his visit to Hungary, Austria's National Council President Wolfgang Sobotka emphasized the importance of the Western Balkans for the European Union. He tried to convince the Hungarian meeting partners to support the EU accession process of Albania and North Macedonia.
June 7, 2021


Steinmeier and Van der Bellen Demand European Cohesion

At a working meeting in Germany, Austria's President Alexander Van der Bellen and his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier discuss European unity and bilateral cooperation with regard to the Covid-19 pandemic. Read more below.
June 7, 2021

Covid-19 in Austria: Possible Easing of Measures in Schools
With a high vaccination rate among the 12- to 15-year-olds and a low incidence rate, Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and Education Minister Hein Faßmann can imagine relaxations of Covid-19 measures in schools. Read more below.
June 4, 2021


Innovation is Key for Austria's Climate Neutrality by 2040

At the Mission Innovation Ministerial Summit in Chile, Austria's Climate Protection Minister Leonore Gewessler and her international counterparts stressed the importance of innovation for achieving the Paris Agreement.
June 4, 2021


Tikhanovskaya and Kurz: Targeted Sanctions for Belarus Needed

Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, Belarusian opposition leader, and Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz held a video conference to discuss the current developments in Belarus. Read more about possible sanctions below.
June 2, 2021

Covid-19 in Austria: Delay in Vaccination Progress
As assumed by the provinces, the Austrian government's plan to offer a Covid-19 vaccine to every willing Austrian or person that is living in Austria does not hold. Due to an increased demand, some will get their first vaccine in July.
June 2, 2021


Austrian Parliament Prepares for World Conference

At the physical conference of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) at the Austria Center Vienna in September, dozens of international Speakers of Parliament will discuss the creation of effective multilateralism. A conference website was now launched.
June 1, 2021

Covid-19 in Austria: Will the Chancellor's Promise be Broken?
As of today, not all of Austria's nine provinces can imagine that all those who want to get vaccinated will in fact receive their first vaccination by June. Read about the recent developments below.
June 1, 2021


China and Austria: Extension of Climate Neutrality Research Agreement

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Austria, the Chinese Minister of Science and Technology Wang Zhigang and Austria's Climate Protection Minister Gewessler extend the agreement for cooperation in research and technology in the field of climate neutrality.
June 1, 2021


EU Foreign Ministers Condemn Belarusian "Air Piracy"

At the informal meeting of the EU Foreign Ministers in Portugal, Austria's Alexander Schallenberg and his European counterparts condemned the actions took by the Belarusian regime to arrest an anti-government blogger.
May 31, 2021



Liechtenstein's and Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister in Vienna


The discussions between the two respective Foreign Ministers from Liechtenstein and Azerbaijan with Austria's Alexander Schallenberg focused on the bilateral relations and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
May 28, 2021



Estonian President and Van der Bellen: "This was State Kidnapping"


The Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid and her Austrian counterpart Alexander Van der Bellen condemn the recent developments in Belarus and demand immediate action from the European Union.
May 28, 2021

Covid-19 in Austria: Austrian Green Passport Soon Reality
The long awaited "Green Passport" is coming closer and closer. Austria's parliament has passed the necessary legal basis for the future proof of whether someone has been vaccinated, tested or has recovered.
May 27, 2021


Chinese Ambassador to Austria Receives Grand Decoration of Honor

Ambassador Li Xiaosi from the People's Republic of China has been awarded the Grand Decoration of Honor for his Servicer to the State of Vienna by Mayor Michael Ludwig.
May 27, 2021


Vienna and Israel Deepen Friendship

The City of Vienna proofs once again that it cherishes its Jewish Community and its good relations with Israel. For this sake, Mayor Michael Ludwig and Ambassador Mordechal Rodgold came together to set an example for fa deepening friendship.
May 26, 2021


Austria, Czech Republic and Slovenia Want EU Accession of North Macedonia and Albania

During their visits to North Macedonia and Albania, the Czech, Slovenian and Austrian Foreign Ministers once again spoke out in favor of a rapid EU accession process for the two Wester Balkan states.
May 25, 2021


Germany and Austria: "Current Incidents Demand Actions Against Anti-Semitism"

Austria's Minister for European Affairs Karoline Edtstadler has met with German Bundestag President Wolfgang Schäuble in Berlin to exchange views on the fight against anti-Semitism. Recent incidents had worried the German and Austrian politicians.
May 21, 2021


EU Countries Agree on Green Passport by July, Austria Plans it for June

The EU countries and EU Parliament have agreed on an Europe-wide "Green Passport" by July 1, while Austria intends to have its Green Entry Pass ready by the beginning of June. Can the Austrian solution be implemented in the EU-wide certificate? Find out below!
May 21, 2021


Vienna Declaration Sets Stage for Climate-Friendly Mobility

The adoption of the Vienna Declaration at the THE PEP Conference with more than 850 participants from 41 countries, including 46 ministers and state secretaries, has set the stage for environmentally conscious and healthy mobility. Read all about the event below!
May 20, 2021


Israeli Flag Over Austrian Federal Chancellery Causes Diplomatic Tensions with Iran

The display of solidarity with Israel on top of the Federal Chancelry over the recent tensions in the Gaza Strip sparked a small diplomatic crisis between Austria and Iran.
May 18, 2021 · Updated: May 19, 2021; 13:01