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Vienna International Community - Top Politicians - Latest Headlines
Read updated news about key politicians in Vienna's international community
Investigations About Turkish Espionage in Austria
Following the riots of Turkish activists in Vienna, Austria's Interior Minister Nehammer set up a task force that investigates the alleged influence of the Turkish secret service. These allegations have materialized to some extent and were presented at a press conference.
September 1, 2020
Edtstadler: Six New EU Member Countries in the Next Decade
Hungarian Minister Varga and Austria's Minister for the EU Edtstadler took part in a discussion at the European Forum Alpbach that dealt with the presence and future of the European Union. Edtstadler is optimistic that the EU will grow by six member states in the next 10 years.
September 1, 2020
National Council President Sobotka Met Slovak and Czech Counterparts, Kollár and Vondráček
Austria's National Council President Wolfgang Sobotka invited his Slovak and Czech counterparts, Boris Kollár and Radek Vondráček, to discuss the cooperation between the three neighboring countries and other political issues.
August 31, 2020
Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg at the Informal Meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Berlin
Austria's Foreign Minister Schallenberg has come together with the other EU Foreign Minister to discuss current foreign affairs. The main topics were the conflict between Greece and Turkey, the current situation in Belarus, relations between the EU and Russia, and the peace process in the Middle East.
August 28, 2020
Federal Minister Nehammer: Joining Forces with Bavaria in the Fight Against Organized Crime and Trafficking
Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann and Austria's Karl Nehammer intensify cooperation in the fight against human trafficking and organized crime. The two politicians have come together for a working meeting in Vienna.
August 28, 2020
German-Speaking Finance Ministers Met in Vienna
Vienna hosted the tenth informal meeting of the German-speaking finance ministers. Representatives of Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Austria took part in discussions about Covid-19 and the future of taxes.
August 28, 2020
Iran Allows Vienna-based IAEA Access to Controversial Nuclear Facilities
Vienna-based IAEA is allowed to inspect two nuclear facilities in the Islamic Republic of Iran. After an ongoing dispute between the IAEA and the Iran, a joint statement settles the dispute.
August 27, 2020
Federal Minister Edtstadler Promises Action Plan Against Anti-Semitism
Karoline Edtstadler, Federal Minister of Austria for the EU and Constitution, introduced an action plan that will be implemented in the fall. This plan will comprise about 30 measures to fight ongoing anti-Semitism.
August 26, 2020
Van der Bellen Promoted a Common, Greener European Future at the 75th European Forum Alpbach
Austria's Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen opened the 75th European Forum Alpbach with his speech that focused on international cooperation and an environmentally friendly and sustainable future.
August 26, 2020
Vienna's Mayor Michael Ludwig Met German Vice Chancellor and Minister of Finance Olaf Scholz
Mayor Michael Ludwig and German Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz met for a working meeting in Vienna. Discussions were held about economic relations and municipal topics such as affordable housing.
August 25, 2020
Criticism of SPÖ Officials Concerning Belarus
TV appearances in the Belarus state TV of two Austrians with close boundaries to the SPÖ led to an immense wave of criticism. One claims that the news coverage in Belarus is too European friendly. The other repeats a main propaganda message from Lukashenko's party.
August 25, 2020
Austria Expels Russian Diplomat, Russia Reacts and Expels Austrian Diplomat
After the Austrian Foreign Ministry had declared a Russian diplomat an undesirable person in connection with accusations of espionage, Russia has now reacted by deporting an Austrian diplomat.
August 24, 2020
Kaiser Apologizes for the Chaos at the Border
Governor Peter Kaiser apologized today to all people who got stuck at the borders to Austria on Saturday evening. He says that this situation should never happen again and claims that communication problems between the federal and the state government led to the chaos.
August 24, 2020
75th Anniversary of the Opening of the Liberation Monument at Schwarzenbergplatz: Austrian and CIS Officials Hold Ceremony
75 years after the unveiling of the Liberation Monument, Austrian President of the National Council Wolfgang Sobotka and Ambassadors of CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries commemorated once again the Soviet soldiers killed during World War II.
August 19, 2020
European Forum Alpbach Will Be Host to Numerous Outstanding Personalities Beginning August 23
The European Forum Alpbach will be opened by Austria's President Alexander Van der Bellen on August 23 and will host various outstanding speakers, either in person or virtually, for 12 days.
August 18, 2020
Subsidies for New Investments in Austrian Economy
The Austrian government has put in place an investment subsidy in order to support the Austrian economy during the Covid-19 crisis. Business investments will be subsidized with up to 14% of the eligible costs.
August 17, 2020
Meeting Between Čaputová and Van der Bellen
The Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen met his Slovak counterpart Zuzana Čaputová to talk mainly about climate change.
July 24, 2020
Illegal Migration: Austria Calls for More Coordination and Cooperation on Eastern Mediterranean Routes
Agreement reached at the Ministerial Conference to Combat Illegal Migration on the Eastern Mediterranean Routes in Vienna. It was decided to establish a platform for the fight against illegal migration.
July 24, 2020
25 Years Srebrenica: Austria Commemorates the Victims of the Greatest Genocide in Europe since the End of the Second World War
The genocide of Srebrenica, the worst crime in Europe since the end of the Second World War, is currently being commemorated for the 25th time. This day of remembrance serves to commemorate the thousands of murdered people who lost their lives in the days after 10 July 1995.
July 13, 2020
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas Visiting Vienna
In preparation for Germany's EU Presidency in the second half of 2020, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas visited Austria and met Foreign Minister Schallenberg, among other things to restore normality in the area of freedom of travel as quickly as possible.
June 19, 2020
Jewish World Congress and Austria Agree: Hezbollah is a Terrorist Organization
Following the Austrian National Council's decision that the EU should reassess its dealings with Hezbollah, as Austrian MPs see it as a terrorist organisation, the President of the World Jewish Congress, Ronald S. Lauder, welcomed this decision.
June 1, 2020
Visit to the Western Balkans by Foreign Minister Schallenberg and European Affairs Minister Edtstadler
A trip to the Western Balkans by Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg and European Affairs Minister Karoline Edtstadler took the two Austrian People's Party politicians to Albania, Serbia and Kosovo.
June 1, 2020
Austria Has New Secretary of State for Art and Culture
Andrea Mayer, former Head of the Arts and Culture Section and current Cabinet Director of Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen, was presented to the public at a press conference today as the successor to Ulrike Lunacek as Secretary of State for Arts and Culture.
May 19, 2020
The European Forum Alpbach Gets a New Leadership
Bank manager Andreas Treichl is scheduled to take office as President of the European Forum Alpbach in 2021, succeeding Franz Fischler. Already this autumn, Philippe Narval, Secretary General and Managing Director of the European Forum Alpbach, is to hand over the reins to the entrepreneur and investor Werner Wutscher.
May 14, 2020
Austria Agrees to ESM Pandemic Crisis Support
The National Council has given its approval for financial aid within the framework of the ESM. Specifically, Finance Minister Blümel was authorized to approve a decision in the ESM Board of Governors to grant corona financial aid to all applicant ESM member states within the framework of the ESM Pandemic Crisis Support.
May 14, 2020
Corona-App Statement: Antonella Mei-Pochtler Remains in Office
The Austrian opposition parties have unsuccessfully tried to remove the advisor and one of Chancellor Sebastian Kurz' closest confidants, Roman-born Antonella Mei-Pochtler, from all functions.
May 13, 2020
Chancellor Kurz: ''As much freedom as possible, as much restriction as necessary"
First step towards new normality: Small shops were opened in Austria. Curfews still apply.
April 14, 2020
Self-Sufficiency in COVID-19 Mask Production
A first step towards Austrian self-sufficiency in mask production for medical protective equipment was taken. In future, it should be possible to produce up to 500,000 corona protective masks of the "Made in Austria" brand every day.
April 8, 2020
Austria to Ease Anti-Corona Measures from Mid-April
The drastic Austrian measures in the fight against the coronavirus are to be gradually eased after Easter.
April 6, 2020
Further Coronavirus Measure: Police Officers in Austria Only in Protective Masks
From now on, police officers in Austria will only perform official acts with protective masks.
April 2, 2020
State Authority: Austria Under Police Control?
The Federal Ministry of the Interior is stepping up its police presence to ensure that the government's guidelines are enforced. So far, 10,426 coronavirus criminal charges have been filed throughout Austria. Is this approach too strict?
March 30, 2020
Federal Chancellor: "The situation is still serious"
Austrian government presents details of the aid package designed to save jobs and businesses.
March 26, 2020
Austria's Federal State Tyrol Under Total Quarantine
The province of Tyrol with 1.8 million inhabitants has issued a quarantine regulation for all 279 Tyrolean communities. Governor Platter: "That Tyrol isolates itself is absolutely necessary."
March 19, 2020
COVID-19: "How do we get through this, Mr. President?"
Alexander Van der Bellen spoke to the "Kronen Zeitung" about an unprecedented threat: "In Austria we want to avoid a situation in hospitals where doctors have to decide who gets the oxygen, the 70-year-old or the 60-year-old."
March 16, 2020
COVID-19: Further Drastic Measures - Reduction of Social Life to a Minimum
In order to slow down the spread of the virus, it is necessary for the Austrian population to continue to take consistent measures, in particular to reduce social contacts to a minimum in the near future.
March 13, 2020
Austria is Concerned, but Federal President Remains Silent
In Austria - as in the rest of the world - there is also the danger of a coronavirus pandemic, but Federal President Van der Bellen, who ran the election campaign with a ticket from the Green Party, and who comments on the climate crisis almost weekly, remains silent, instead of informing the population and calling on them to take preventive measures. (Updated on March 13, 2020. See below.)
February 29, 2020 · Updated: March 13, 2020; 20:30
State of Emergency in Austria: Federal Government Appeals to Population
The Federal Government informed about further necessary steps and the current situation regarding coronavirus. From Monday, March 16, 2020, social life will be reduced to a minimum. Air and train traffic to Switzerland, Spain and France will be suspended. Many shops will be closed, with the exception of those necessary for basic services. Public transport will be maintained. With a few exceptions, cafés, restaurants and bars will only be open until 3 p.m. from Monday onwards. Visitors are prohibited in all hospitals.
March 13, 2020
High Security Risk - Travel Warning for Austrians to Return as Long as Still Possible
Due to the coronavirus crisis, Austria's Foreign Minister Schallenberg has raised the travel warning for all countries worldwide to "high security risk" (security level 4 of 6). He is calling for citizens to return to Austria as long as there are still opportunities for return travel.
March 13, 2020
Crisis Between Athens and Ankara: Greek Prime Minister in Vienna
Thousands of refugees still hope to enter the EU from Turkey. Athens is therefore strengthening its border management, seeking support from the EU and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis travelled to Vienna.
March 11, 2020
Austrian Government Announces Drastic Measures on Coronavirus
In the fight against the coronavirus, the government has announced drastic measures for the first time. Entry ban from Italy, partial suspension of air and train traffic, cancellation of events, suspension of teaching at universities and technical colleges.
March 10, 2020
Coronavirus: Austria's "Containment Strategy"
The latest developments concerning the coronavirus were the dominant topic of today's debate in the Health Committee of the Austrian Parliament.
March 3, 2020
Corona Virus: Public Information Campaign Receives Good Response
So far there have been 2,120 tests in Austria, 16 of which have been positive. In addition, there are 350 isolation cases which are in quarantine.
March 2, 2020
Austrian People's Party Vienna: Gernot Blümel Re-elected with 96.8 Percent
State party leader (and current Finance Minister) Gernot Blümel was confirmed and re-elected by the state party conference of the New People's Party (ÖVP) of Vienna with 96.8 percent as Vienna's state party leader. "Historical chance for Vienna to be re-governed." Criticism of Mercer's study.
February 29, 2020
Ministry of the Interior: 1,649 Tests in Austria, 9 of them Positive
So far there have been 1,649 tests in Austria, nine of which have been positive. Worldwide there are 85,181 patients and 2,920 fatalities.
February 29, 2020
COVID-19: Meeting between Donald Trump and Chancellor Kurz postponed
The Austrian Federal Chancellery has confirmed, that the follow-up meeting between Sebastian Kurz and Donald Trump has been postponed.
February 29, 2020
Austria Supports Start of Accession Negotiations with North Macedonia
Karoline Edtstadler calls for a speedy start of accession negotiations with North Macedonia and assures Austria's full support.
February 28, 2020
Austrian Coronavirus Summit: Population to Participate in Containment
In a meeting of Federal Chancellor Kurz, Health Minister Rudolf Anschober and Interior Minister Karl Nehammer with the state governors in the Federal Chancellery, agreement was reached on uniform nationwide guidelines for dealing with the coronavirus. The Chancellor appealed to the population to actively participate in the containment of the virus.
February 28, 2020
Current Status of Developments in Austria: Strategy to Separate from the Virus
The coronavirus was a topic of discussion in the National Council today. The aim of all measures is to contain the virus and prevent its spread. Health and Interior Ministers strongly opposed scare-mongering and called for joint efforts to meet the challenge.
February 27, 2020
Austrian Chancellor Kurz at 10 Downing Street
Chancellor Kurz met with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in London today. The discussion with Johnson focused on London's future relations with the European Union.
February 25, 2020
Austria is Arming itself against the Coronavirus
The Austrian Federal Government today presented a package of measures against "all" upcoming scenarios, with the aim of ensuring transparency, information and protection for the population. The next 2 to 3 weeks will be decisive in determining how the coronavirus situation develops.
February 24, 2020
