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Austria International Political News | International | EU | Domestic
Read the latest headlines about developments in Austrian politics with reference to the international interest
Austria Finances Demining Equipment for Ukraine Worth 2 Million Euros
After several weeks of heated discussion on how Austria should continue to support Ukraine, the Austrian government decided to provide financial assistance to Ukraine for 2 million euros for demining.
May 30, 2023
NATO Boosts Security Measures in Kosovo, Backed by Austrian Armed Forces
Following violent protests in northern Kosovo, NATO is reinforcing the international protection force KFOR there. The Austrian Armed Forces are now also increasing troop protection in northern Kosovo.
May 30, 2023
42.5 Million Euros for the Establishment of Excellent Technical Competence Centers
Call for proposals for COMET Centres is now open. This Promotes research at a high international level by science and industry.
May 30, 2023
International Narcotics Control Board Emphasizes Drug Control and Global Cooperation
The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) highlighted the significance of the licit trade in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, and precursor chemicals in achieving health and welfare objectives in a session in Vienna.
May 30, 2023
Festive Opening of the Interactive Exhibition "Experience Europe" in Vienna
In Vienna's Rotenturmstraße, the interactive permanent exhibition "Experience Europe" was opened with a great ceremony. Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen and EU Parliament President Roberta Metsola, together with high-ranking guests, cut the opening ribbon to this multimedia show.
May 29, 2023
EU Parliament President Metsola Visited Vienna
The President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola was on several working visits and events in an EU Parliament President addressed the members of the Austrian National Council. It also came to the working meeting with Austria's Foreign Minister Schallenberg and the opening of the interactive exhibition "Experience Europe" in Vienna.
May 29, 2023
Austria's Schallenberg Discusses Importance of Vienna and Human Rights Advocacy in Meeting with UNGA President Kőrösi
Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg met yesterday with the President of the 77th United Nations General Assembly, Csaba Kőrösi, to discuss important matters related to the United Nations.
May 25, 2023
OSCE Chairman-in-Office Bujar Osmani Wraps Up Visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina
The OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Macedonia, Bujar Osmani, successfully concluded a two-day visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), where he engaged in high-level discussions with key officials and emphasized the importance of ongoing reforms in various sectors.
May 24, 2023
Hungarian Ambassador Reacted to Citation to Austrian Foreign Ministry
Hungarian Ambassador to Vienna Andor Nagy responded to Austria's Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg's criticism of Hungary's release of migrant smugglers and citation to the Austrian Foreign Ministry.
May 24, 2023
Waiting Time for Appointments for Citizenship in Vienna Reduced by 50%
Despite the challenges in the area of citizenship, such as the restrictive legal situation and the enormous increase in demand for Austrian citizenship in Vienna, the city has taken various measures to facilitate improvements and faster procedures.
May 23, 2023
Council of Europe Summit Against Russian Aggression in Ukraine: Van der Bellen Holds Speech
The first Council of Europe summit in nearly 20 years took place, with some 30 European leaders traveling to Reykjavik, Iceland. The summit was all about support for Ukraine and finding solutions to hold Russia accountable for its war of aggression.
May 23, 2023
IGGÖ Supports Demands for the Fight Against Racist Attacks on Muslims
The Islamic Religious Community in Austria (IGGÖ) confirms the established link between the reported cases and certain political events. Against this background, the IGGÖ supports the demands of the Documentation Center to the Austrian Federal Government to develop and implement the National Action Plan against Racism, which has already been announced in the government program 2019, as soon as possible.
May 23, 2023
European Ministers of Serbia and Austria Emphasize the Importance of Relations
During her working visit to Belgrade, Austrian Minister for European Affairs Karoline Edtstadler met with Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić and her ministerial colleague Tanja Miščević.
May 22, 2023
Austria Calls for "European Year Against Hate" for 2024
Austria is demanding a "European Year against Hate" in 2024, as stated by State Secretary Claudia Plakolm. This demand was made during the meeting of the Council of Youth Ministers in Brussels.
May 22, 2023
Austrian Foreign Minister Summons Hungarian Ambassador
Diplomatic tensions arise as Hungary's early release of convicted human traffickers causes concern in Vienna. Austria's Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg said in Brussels that the Hungarian ambassador would be brought to the Foreign Ministry because of the controversy over the release of migrant traffickers.
May 22, 2023
International Ombudsman Institute Sets Sign of Solidarity with Ukraine and Discusses Future Projects
The annual meeting of the Board of Directors of the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI) was recently held in Vienna and featured a guest speaker from Ukraine. Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian Human Rights Ombudsman, reported on the horrors of the Russian war of aggression and received the support of the IOI.
May 19, 2023
EU Parliament President Metsola Brings European Issues to Austrian Parliament
EU Parliament President Metsola will address the Austrian National Council on European affairs, participating in a National Council resolution.
May 18, 2023
Time to Decide Europe Summit 2023: Experts Debate the Future of Europe and the Challenges of Today
The 'Time To Decide Europe Summit 2023' in Vienna brought together experts to debate the future of Europe in times of current crises. Vindobona.org reviews the event, which featured high-level keynote speeches and engaging discussions on geopolitics, democracy, economics, energy, and the environment.
May 18, 2023
Diplomats Express Support for IDAHOBIT 2023: Joint Declaration on the Promotion of Gender Equality
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Austria and the diplomatic missions of several states, as well as organizations, have honored May 17 as the International Day against Homophobia, Biophobia, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT). In a joint statement, they express their support for diversity and inclusion.
May 18, 2023
High-Level Meeting Between US and China Held in Vienna
After a prolonged period of silence between the US and China, a high-level meeting took place amid significant tensions. President Joe Biden's National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, met with China's top foreign policy official, Wang Yi, in Vienna.
May 15, 2023
Ukrainian Oligarch Dmytro Firtash Hiding in Vienna Faces Gas Purchase Manipulation Case
Dmytro Firtash, an oligarch who has lived in Vienna since 2014 and is linked to a U.S. extradition request, and eight other managers of gas companies in Ukraine controlled by Firtash have now been officially declared defendants in a criminal case.
May 15, 2023
Austrian Foreign Minister Schallenberg Attends Gymnich Meeting
At the Gymnich meeting in Stockholm in May 2023, Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg focused on the discussion of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and the EU's relations with China.
May 15, 2023
Austrian Business Leaders and Government Officials Discuss Economic Ties with South Korea
The President of Austrian Chamber of Commerce Harald Mahrer welcomed South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo. South Korea will be a global hotspot for future technologies of central importance for Austria.
May 14, 2023
Bulgaria Assumes FSC Chairmanship Amid Ongoing Concerns Over Russia's War Against Ukraine
In turbulent times, Bulgaria has taken over the charir of the Forum of Security Cooperationa (FSC) at the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), succeeding Bosnia and Herzegovina.
May 14, 2023
Challenges to Media Freedom in OSCE Region Linked to Larger Political and Social Contexts
According to Representative on Freedom of the Media Teresa Ribeiro, current setbacks in media freedom are not isolated incidents but rather closely linked to the larger political and social contexts in which they occur. Read on to learn more about Ribeiro's report and her call to protect and enhance media freedom in the OSCE region.
May 14, 2023
India and Austria Sign Migration and Mobility Agreement
In a significant development, Austria and India have signed a comprehensive Migration and Mobility Partnership agreement to strengthen cooperation on legal migration and repatriation.
May 14, 2023
Political Support for Southern Hydrogen Corridor: Austria, Germany, and Italy Sign Joint Letter
The Southern Hydrogen Corridor, developed by major European transmission system operators, aims to connect North Africa, Italy, Austria, and Germany to supply important European demand clusters with competitive renewable hydrogen.
May 10, 2023
Europe Minister Edtstadler Awards Outstanding Projects and Initiatives with the 2023 Europe State Prize
Austrian Europe Minister Karoline Edtsdadler awarded the winners of the 2023 Europe State Prize at the Sofiensäle in Vienna. More than 200 guestes were present at the Europe gala.
May 9, 2023
Austrian and Costa Rican Foreign Ministers Celebrate 150 Years of Diplomatic Relations
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica, Dr. Arnoldo André, met with his Austrian counterpart, Alexander Schallenberg, to discuss a broad agenda of bilateral and multilateral issues in the context of the celebration of 150 years of diplomatic relations between both countries.
May 9, 2023
Ukrainian Human Rights Lawyer Oleksandra Matviichuk Delivers Speech to Europe at Wiener Festwochen 2023
The Wiener Festwochen program begins with the Speech to Europe 2023, featuring Oleksandra Matviichuk, a Ukrainian human rights lawyer and the head of the Center for Civil Liberties, the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize recipient.
May 9, 2023
ICMPD Files Lawsuit Against NGO to Correct False Allegations
The conflict between the Viennese NGO SOS Balkan Route and the international organization International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) over the construction of a deportation center including a prison in the Bosnian refugee camp Lipa has a legal aftermath. ICMPD wants to correct the accusations that have made the rounds in the Austrian media.
May 9, 2023
Commemoration of Victory in Europe Day and Liberation Day in Austria
The government commemorated the liberation from National Socialism in a ceremony. The diplomatic community in Vienna also commemorated the end of the Second World War and the Liberation of the Mauthausen concentration camp.
May 8, 2023
OSCE and United Nations Celebrate 30 Years of Collaboration
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the United Nations (UN) marked 30 years of their joint efforts towards promoting peace and security across the world.
May 8, 2023
Vienna Expands German Learning Support for EU Expats
Are you a newly arrived EU citizen in Vienna and struggling to learn German? The good news is that the city of Vienna is expanding its language learning support program, the Wiener Sprachgutschein, to include EU citizens. This means that you will now have access to the same level of funding as non-EU citizens for German language courses.
May 8, 2023
EU Commissioner Hahn Says Only a United Europe Can Succeed in a Globalized World
On the occasion of Europe Day on May 9th, the European Commission recently organized a ceremony under the motto "Europe - Together for Democracy, Peace and Sovereignty" at the Austrian Parliament. EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn delivered a speech emphasizing the importance of Europe's global political capacity for its future success.
May 5, 2023
Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias and Austrian Counterpart Emphasize Close Relations and Cooperation Potential
Greece's Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias visited his Austrian counterpart for working talks in Vienna. Overall, the meeting between Greece and Austria showcased their strong cooperation and commitment to international law and cooperation in various fields.
May 5, 2023
Austria's Foreign Disaster Fund is Increased
Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler and Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg have praised the increase of the Foreign Disaster Fund (AKF) to 77.5 million euros in 2023 before the Council of Ministers.
May 4, 2023
OSCE Experts Present Findings on Child Abductions in Ukraine to Permanent Council
A recent report by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) demonstrates that practices that violate international humanitarian law have been used in the abduction of Ukrainian children to areas controlled by Russia, or even as far away as Russia itself. OSCE experts were tasked to establish the facts and circumstances surrounding possible violations of OSCE commitments and possible cases of war crimes.
May 4, 2023
OSCE Court of Conciliation and Arbitration: Promoting Peaceful Dispute Resolution
The OSCE Court of Arbitration is an important institution within the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and recently the President and Vice-President of the OSCE Court met with the leaders of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly to further strengthen it. But what is the OSCE Court of Arbitration and why is it important?
May 3, 2023
Turkish Community in Vienna Criticizes Türkiye's Media Freedom on International Press Freedom Day
As the world marks International Press Freedom Day on May 3, Austria's media landscape faces a serious threat to its diversity, despite slight improvements in the Press Freedom Index. Meanwhile, Türkiye's media freedom is in a dire state, with journalists and opposition voices facing increasing pressure and imprisonment under Erdogan's AKP government, according to the Turkish Cultural Community in Austria (TKG).
May 3, 2023
Austrian President Van der Bellen Welcomes Slovenia's First Female President on Inaugural Visit
The new Slovenian President, Nataša Pirc Musar, paid her inaugural visit to Vienna, where she was welcomed by Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen with military honors. "It is an honor to receive today in Vienna the first female head of state of Slovenia," Van der Bellen said.
May 2, 2023
German-Speaking Foreign Ministers Discuss International Trouble Spots in Salzburg
The German-speaking Foreign Ministers Alexander Schallenberg from Austria, Annalena Baerbock from Germany, Dominique Hasler from Liechtenstein, Jean Asselborn from Luxembourg, and Ignazio Cassis from Switzerland met to discuss global and European challenges.
May 2, 2023
City Administrations in Focus: Vienna Conference on Human Resources
Demographic development, inflation, and international crises have an impact on all areas of our lives and bring new challenges for cities. Particularly in the area of human resources, cities must adapt to changing conditions and find new ways to attract and retain qualified personnel.
May 2, 2023
Space Diplomacy: International Space Partnership Funding by the UK Space Agency
In support of international partnerships, the UK Space Agency is launching a £20 million fund to leverage the UK's strengths, support new capabilities, and catalyze investment.
April 26, 2023
Trilateral Working Meeting Between Foreign Ministers of Slovenia, Croatia and Austria
Austria's Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg met his counterpart from Croatia Gordan Radman and his counterpart from Slovenia Tanja Fajon in Rijeka, Croatia, for a trilateral working meeting. The talks focused on the economic interdependence of the three countries and good neighborly relations, but Schallenberg blocked Slovenian wishes to open borders.
April 26, 2023
Austria Foreign Minister Schallenberg Travelled to Luxembourg for EU Meeting
Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg traveled to Luxembourg for the Foreign Affairs Council. The meeting of EU foreign ministers focused on the fierce fighting in Sudan, the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and its global impact, and the situation in Iran.
April 25, 2023
Tax Burden in Austria Still High According to OECD
According to a study conducted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), taxes and duties for Austrian employees continue to be high in international comparison.
April 25, 2023
Austrian Armed Forces in Global NATO Cyber Drill "Locked Shields 23"
This year, an Austrian team is once again taking part in NATO's largest military cyber defense exercise. The specialists will practice protecting information and communication technology systems and critical infrastructures against cyber attacks.
April 24, 2023
Austria May Step In to Chair the OSCE According to the Media
Russia has been opposing Estonia's leadership of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in 2024 for months. Citing diplomatic circles, it was reported that the Austrian Foreign Ministry (BMEIA) was considering stepping in for the rotating chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation (OSCE) in Vienna.
April 24, 2023
Secretary General of the Council of Europe Pejčinović Burić visiting Vienna
Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić met the Austrian President and key ministers and personalities during an official visit to Austria. Among others, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg received the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejčinović Burić for a working meeting in Vienna.
April 23, 2023
