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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
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
Austrian Leadership Programs Begins With the Subject of “Life Science”
The Austrian Leadership Programs (ALPs) will run its 15th edition this year from April 17 to 21. Young leaders from around the world will gather in Vienna to discuss and represent the topic of “Life Science”
April 18, 2023
French Order Awarded to Austrian General Robert Brieger
French Ambassador to Austria Gilles Pécout awarded Austria's General and Chairman of the European Union Military Committee Robert Brieger the Commander's Badge of the French Legion of Honor on behalf of the French President at a ceremony Tuesday at the French Embassy in Vienna.
April 18, 2023
Polish President Says that We Should Not Be Afraid of Russia
Polish President Andrzej Duda met with Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen in Vienna. There he assured further military support for Ukraine
April 18, 2023
Austria's Chancellery Has New Presidential Head
The Federal Chancellery has a new presidential head. Andreas Grad replaces Bernd Brünner as Secretary General in the Chancellor's Office.
April 18, 2023
European Anti-Semitism Conference in Vienna
Anti-Semitism is still widespread in Europe and must be curbed. The European conference on anti-Semitism is taking place in Vienna for the second time.
April 17, 2023
Minister Schallenberg Discussed Earthquake Aid and the Russian Aggression with Turkish Foreign Minister
Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg welcomed Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in Vienna. Together they discussed – among other topics - the Russian aggression on Ukraine, and aid for the earthquake victims in Türkiye.
April 16, 2023
New Chinese Ambassador Held Welcome Reception at Vienna International Center
The new permanent representative of the People's Republic of China to the international organizations in Vienna, Li Song, held a Welcome Reception at the Vienna International Center.
April 13, 2023
Schallenberg Doubles Down on Edtstadlers Statement about Putin
Austrian Europe and Constitution Minister Karoline Edtstadler said yesterday that if Russian President Vladimir Putin comes to Austria, he will be arrested. Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg confirmed those statements today.
April 12, 2023
Austria Establishes a National Task Force to Combat Environmental Crime
The ministers of agriculture, justice, finance, social affairs, environment, and interior established an interagency task force on April 12, 2023.
April 12, 2023
Austrian Parliament Taking a Stand For LGBTIQ Diversity
Under the motto "No democracy without diversity!", the LGBTIQ Intergroup of the Parliament hosted a reception. The focus was on measures to improve the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, intersex, transgender, and queer people in Austria.
April 12, 2023
Putin Would Be Arrested If He Came to Austria, Says Minister Edtstadler
Austrian Europe and Constitution Minister Karoline Edtstadler said in an interview that if Putin would come to Austria, the country would fulfill its international obligation by arresting the Russian President.
April 11, 2023
Viennese NGO Accuses ICMPD of Building Austrian Guantanamo
Plans for the Lipa refugee camp in Bosnia-Herzegovina have recently caused a stir. A deportation center with a prison is to be built at the facility, which is to be built in 2020, according to reports. At the same time, the NGO SOS Balkan Route raised the accusation that Austria was co-financing the construction of the prison; media reports named the International Center for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), headed by former Vice Chancellor Michael Spindelegger, as a partner in the project.
April 11, 2023
EU Approves 2 Billion Euros in State Aid for Wien Energie
The European Commission has approved 2 Billion Euros in state aid for Austrian energy supplier Wien Energie. This was done to accelerate the energy transition and reduce fuel dependency in the context of the Russo-Ukrainian war, according to the EU Commission.
April 5, 2023
Nehammer and Kogler Have Announced a New Security Strategy
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer and Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler have announced a new security strategy for Austria in „ZIB". Experts have been calling for a change in this regard for a long time.
April 4, 2023
Interior Minister Karner at a Meeting in Slovenia against the Trafficking Mafia
Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner traveled to Slovenia for a meeting with his Slovenian counterpart, Bostjan Poklukar. The subject of the meeting was combating the trafficking mafia.
April 3, 2023
Russia Must Be Held Accountable for Its War Crimes, Says Schallenberg
Exactly one year after the liberation of Bucha, Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg has spoken in a video statement at the Bucha Summit in Kyiv, condemning the massacres committed by the Russian Army.
April 3, 2023
OPEC+ Surprisingly Cuts Oil Production
The OPEC+ alliance has announced a surprise cut in oil production. There will probably be a reduction of about one million barrels per day from May onward.
April 3, 2023
Austria Delivers Food Aid to Earthquake Victims in Türkiye
Austria's Minister of Agriculture Norbert Totschnig visited the province of Adiyaman, which borders the epicenter of the earthquake. Austria delivered 6 million euros from the special pot for international food aid.
April 2, 2023
New Chairpersons of the Austrian Citizens' Forum Europe
The ordinary general assembly of the Citizens Forum Europe (BGFE) in Vienna elected a new board. While Othmar Karas was reconfirmed as chairman, ex-Chancellor Christian Kern and ex-Vice President of the European Parliament Ulrike Lunacek will be his deputies in the future.
April 2, 2023
IAEA Head Grossi is Concerned about the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has once again expressed concerns about the fighting around the Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in Zaporizhzhya. Head of IAEA Rafel Grossi holds on to the implementation of a security concept.
March 30, 2023
OSCE Will Investigate Allegations Against Russia on Child Abductions
The abduction of Ukrainian children in the wake of Russia's war of aggression is to be investigated within the framework of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
March 30, 2023
President Van der Bellen Reassured Austria’s Support to Pendarovski
Austria’s Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen Went on an Official Visit to North Macedonia and Met with his Macedonian Counterpart Stevo Pendarovski. Van der Bellen reassured support for North Macedonia’s EU accession and opted for constitutional Change in the country.
March 30, 2023
Vienna Gets Memorial Against Femicide
The Ni-Una-Menos Square at the Alsergrund in Vienna 1090 becomes a central memorial place against femicide in Vienna. On the initiative of the International Women's Movement in South America, the square will be a call for a common struggle against femicide and violence against women.
March 29, 2023
Austrian OMV Declares Exit from Russian Gas as "Extremely Difficult"
The CEO of the Austrian energy group OMV, Alfred Stern, currently sees hardly any possibility to get out of the Russian business with natural gas. He also sees no alternative to fossil fuels in the short term and talked about relations with Asia-Pacific.
March 28, 2023
Türkiye Must Comply with International Law Obligations, Says Foreign Affairs Committee
The Foreign Affairs Committee has urged the Republic of Türkiye to comply with International Law. This was done after the opposition parties set a motion to condemn Türkiye’s attacks in Northeast Syria and North Iraq.
March 27, 2023
President Van der Bellen Visited his Albanian Counterpart in Tirana
Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen started his official Western Balkans visits on Sunday. The first country he visited was Albania, where he met with his counterpart Bajram Begaj. They discussed the ongoing reforms in Albania and Austria supporting those reforms.
March 27, 2023
FPÖ-Uproar over Planed Zelenskyy Speech in the Austrian Parliament
A virtual speech by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled for March 30 in the Austrian parliament. In the run-up to the event, the Austrian party with good relations with the Kremlin, the FPÖ, has voiced sharp criticism.
March 26, 2023
Austrian Armed Forces Celebrate 20th Anniversary of its C-130 "Hercules
Almost exactly 20 years ago, the first of three C-130 "Hercules" landed in Austria on March 20, 2003. This marked the beginning of a new era in military aviation for the Austrian Armed Forces. This was now honored in a military ceremony.
March 26, 2023
Unrestricted Access to the Austrian Labor Market for Displaced Ukrainians
Displaced Ukrainians in Austria will gain unrestricted access to the labor market, according to an amendment by the social committee in the National Council.
March 23, 2023
Minister Schallenberg and his Serbian Counterpart Ivica Dacic Met in Vienna
Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg met with his Serbian counterpart in Vienna, where they discussed the relations between the countries and the normalization process between Serbia and Kosovo.
March 23, 2023
Austria Wants to Bring New EU Anti-Money Laundering Authority to Vienna
Austria is bidding for the seat of the new EU Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) and wants to bring it to Vienna, Finance Minister Magnus Brunner said. However, it is still unclear whether this is feasible in the current climate of Austrian politics.
March 23, 2023
Minister Polaschek Has Awarded a State Prize for Promoting Alternatives to Animal Experiments.
Prof. Dr. Michael J. Ausserlechner, a professor at the Medical University of Innsbruck, receives the State Prize for Alternative Methods to Animal Experiments in 2022.
March 22, 2023
Austria Supports Infringement Procedure against Hungary
Austria will support the European Commission’s decision for an infringement procedure against Hungary. The reason for this is the controversial LGBTQ law that was passed in Hungary. This is not the first time that Austria supports such a decision on Hungary.
March 22, 2023
Austria Before Participation in European Initiative "Sky Shield"
Austria has taken a big step towards participating in the "Sky Shield" initiative, in other words, the joint planned air defense system of European countries. Austria is thus participating more strongly in an all-European defense.
March 21, 2023
Great Demand for Austrian Citizenship in Vienna
Since last year, the demand of Viennese citizens with foreign citizenship for Austrian citizenship has increased enormously. In the meantime, about 1,300 citizens per month are interested in an information appointment at the City of Vienna's Department for Immigration and Citizenship (MA 35), compared to about 600 a year ago.
March 21, 2023
Minister Schallenberg Reassured Support for Ukraine at EU Ministers Meeting
Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg participated in a meeting of foreign Ministers of all European Union states. He reassured support for Ukraine and the Western Balkans was a subject of this meeting.
March 20, 2023
Austria's Cooperation with EU Drugs Agency Exemplary
The European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) is the leading European institution in the field of drugs. EMCDDA Executive Director Alexis Goosdeel is meeting with the Austrian ministries responsible for drug policy issues, in particular with Health Minister Johannes Rauch and Justice Minister Alma Zadić, as part of a three-day working visit to exchange views.
March 20, 2023
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