Austrian Government

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

City of Vienna Pushes for Rent Cap

The City of Vienna has called for an Austrian-wide rent price cap since it does not want to implement these regulations on its own. The rent price cap is heavily debated in Austria at this moment because the guideline value for rents might increase too much in April.

March 2, 2023

Austria Should Do More to Fight and Prevent Corruption

An evaluation report published by the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) has found that the Austrian state is doing too little to fight corruption in some areas and needs to improve its strategy on it.

March 1, 2023

Austrian Government Reviews the Year 2022

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer and Vice-Chancellor Werner Kogler made a review and concluded the year 2022 with a positive and determined outlook for the following year. The subjects of the past year were the recovery from the pandemic, the energy crisis, inflation and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

December 25, 2022

Austria's Government Under New Challenge: Are New Elections Coming?

With his statements, Thomas Schmid, ex-Secretary General at the Ministry of Finance, has incriminated many former and current top politicians of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), some of them heavily. Although much was already relatively well known in the investigations by the Public Prosecutor's Office for Economic Affairs and Corruption (WKSta) triggered by the Ibiza affair, Schmid has provided a great deal of new material in the cases surrounding appointments to posts, tax and advertising deals in the Austrian government. In Austrian politics, a new crisis is now brewing for the ÖVP-Green coalition government.

October 20, 2022

Moldavia Next Threatened Conflict Region: Austria Deploys Crisis Team

Due to the ongoing Russian war on Ukraine and the massive impact of the related humanitarian need on the immediate neighboring states, the Austrian Federal Government is sending a crisis team to the particularly affected Republic of Moldova. Read on to find out what the crisis team consists of and how it will support the Austrian Embassy.

March 15, 2022

Mückstein Becomes New Austrian Health Minister

After the resignation of former Austrian Health Minister Rudolf Anschober, Wolfgang Mückstein has been presented as the successor. The general practitioner and head of the primary care center in Vienna will be sworn in on Monday, April 19, by President Alexander Van der Bellen.

April 14, 2021

Increase in Funding for Austria's Ethnic Groups

Ethnic groups in Austria will be receiving more funding due to a recent decision made by the Austrian government. The last increase dates back 25 years ago, which is why high-ranking politicians were in favor of supporting the ethnic groups even more.

October 9, 2020

Contact Tracing: How Does Infection Chain Tracing Work in Austria?

The debate about the advantages and disadvantages of how COVID-19 risk patients can be quickly located and suspected cases isolated has erupted. The Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior now gave an interesting insight into how "contact tracing" has worked in several hundred cases in Upper Austria and Styria.

April 20, 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

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

Austrian Government Extends Measures: Masks Partially Obligatory

At a press conference today, the government presented further measures to contain the coronavirus.

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

Austrian Government to Boost Coronavirus Testing Capacity

The government announced on Tuesday that it would greatly increase the capacity for coronavirus testing, apparently after the WHO had asked European countries to do so the day before.

March 24, 2020

COVID-19 Bill Adopted by National Council and Upper House of Parliament

Both the National Council and the Federal Council today approved the major legislative package to deal with the coronavirus crisis. The signing by the Federal President took already place this evening.

March 15, 2020

Coronavirus Crisis in Austria: Four Billion Euro Package for the Economy

The Austrian government today cancelled the budgetary "zero deficit" for 2020 and announced the provision of four billion euros for immediate measures.

March 14, 2020

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

Chancellor Bierlein Introduced Transitional Government to Parliament

"We stand for reliability and we are seeking trust", affirmed the first Federal Chancellor of the Republic of Austria, Brigitte Bierlein, at the beginning of her statement before the National Council plenary.

June 13, 2019

Government Declaration by Chancellor Brigitte Bierlein

The first female Federal Chancellor of Austria, Brigitte Bierlein, addressed herself after her inauguration in a short statement "to all Austrians and all people living in our country".

June 3, 2019

Transitional Government Following the Dismissal of Cabinet Kurz - What's Next?

After Chancellor Sebastian Kurz's cabinet had been expressed no-confidence in a special session of the National Council, the government was removed from office today by Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen. In a speech last night, Van der Bellen outlined the next steps towards a transitional government until the National Council elections in September as follows.

May 28, 2019

Serbia: Prime Minister Dacic Demands Separation of Kosovo

European Union and USA reject any change of boundery on the Balkan.

March 1, 2013

Androsch Criticizes Political Inactivity

The former Austrian Finance Minister and industrialist Hannes Androsch thinks that both austerity and growth strategies are needed and criticizes the government sharply.

May 18, 2012

Fekter to Remain as Finance Minister

This week, rumors on the replacement of the Austrian Finance Minister Maria Fekter occurred. Claus Raidl, who was said to replace Fekter, denies this.

April 13, 2012

Government Debt Committee Sees No Margin for Tax Cuts

The committee called for debt reduction and warned against a tax reform. The gap between government revenues and spending is increasing.

July 7, 2011

Austrian Government Reshuffle has been Completed

The resignation of Josef Pröll triggered a reshuffle in the ÖVP. Most of the positions have been filled by now.

April 22, 2011

Maria Fekter is the New Finance Minister

As part of the changes in the ÖVP government team, Minister for Internal Affairs Maria Fekter changes over to the more prestigious Ministry of Finance

April 16, 2011

Spindelegger New Vice-Chancellor and Head of ÖVP

Michael Spindelegger succeeds Josef Pröll as leader of the conservative party and Vice-Chancellor. Who will be in charge of the Minister of Finance, is still not clear.

April 15, 2011

Vice-Chancellor Pröll Resigns

The Minister of Finance and Vice-Chancelor of Austria, Josef Pröll, decides to leave the political arena.

April 13, 2011

Budget-saving Measures in Austria are Insufficient

According to the WIFO, budget deficit and public debt are lower than the EU average; central potential savings have been neglected however.

January 26, 2011

Bank Taxes: „Job Cuts or Price Increase”

According to Michael Ikrath, bank representative of the “Sparkassen”, the new charges for Austrian banks are the highest in Europe.

January 17, 2011

Treichl: Massive Criticism on Austrian Government

Andreas Treichl, CEO of Erste Group criticizes the Austrian Government for its fiscal and structural policy. 2011 would be the last chance for reforms.

January 16, 2011

Austria's Competitiveness Increases Slightly

Austria rose one place, to the 21st, in the ranking of the most liberal economies.

January 14, 2011

Harsh Criticism of Government by Junge Industrie

Junge Industrie (Young Industry) an interface organization of the Industriellenvereinigung (Industrialists’ Federation) criticizes particularly the pension policy.

January 13, 2011

Insolvencies decline in Austria

Corporate insolvency proceedings fall by 5.9%, affecting more than 85,000 creditors. Creditreform considers there is still potential for lower figures.

January 11, 2011

Austrian Tobacco Industry Fears Cigarette Smuggling

According to the presently Japanese Austria Tabak, 20% of cigarettes are already smuggled. The tobacco tax is expected to increase this trend even more.

January 10, 2011

Leitl Urges Implementation of Reform Plans

The President of the Austrian Economic Chamber shows himself pleased by the economic data 2010 and urges the continuation of educational and administrative reforms.

January 3, 2011

WIFO Director: "Crisis was not Taken Advantage of to Introduce Reforms"

In an interview with the newspaper "Kurier", the head of the WIFO criticizes the lack of commitment to reforms. His perspectives for Austria are nevertheless optimistic.

December 30, 2010

Leitl Demands Reforms

The President of the Austrian Economic Chamber calls for more Government work in administration, health and education.

December 29, 2010

Higher Bank Tax for Bank Austria

The UniCredit-subsidiary Bank Austria will have to pay a bigger amount of the bank tax in 2011. The contribution in the following year decreases.

December 27, 2010

Wikileaks: Criticism of Austrian Politicians by the U.S.

The critical view on Austria's leading politicians on part of the U.S. is written down in the recent revelations of the Wikileaks platform.

December 5, 2010

New Regulations for Bank Managers' Bonuses

Additional compensations for managers in the banking sector are subject to new regulations approved by the Austrian National Council. Payments will be deferred in time.

December 5, 2010

Erste Group is Holding Repayment of Public Funds

The participation capital granted by the State following the bank crisis will only be paid back by the Erste Group after specifications of Basel III are set.

November 30, 2010

Industrialists: Destruction of Business Location Averted

The Industriellenvereinigung (IV, Industrialists Association) is relieved about issues concerning location policy, and at the same time calls for structural reforms.

November 30, 2010

Renewable Energy: Great Potential, but Halted by Politicians

The Umweltdachverband (UWD, Environmental Federation) criticizes sharply the energy policy of the Austrian Government. Investments are made mainly in obsolete technologies

November 29, 2010

Leitl Vehemently Asks the Government for Structural Reforms

The President of the Austrian Economic Chamber (WK), Christoph Leitl, call on the government for location and future investments.

November 25, 2010

It is Official: Coalition Between SPÖ and Greens in Vienna

Vassilakou becomes Deputy Mayor under Häupl. The program aims to have a recognizable green handwriting.

November 12, 2010

Standard & Poor’s: Austria's Credit Rating at Risk

The reasons for such gloomy prospects are not problems with the banks or domestic companies, but rather the demographic situation threaten Austria's credit rating.

November 11, 2010

Austerity Package: Resistance from the Federal Provinces

While cries for savings are getting louder in the provinces, declarations of both consensus and objections come from the provincial capital cities

November 8, 2010
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