Sponsored Content
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Solidarity With Bosnia and Herzegovina: Austria Sends 500,000 Vaccines
Austria has sent over 500,000 AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines to Bosnia and Herzegovina. This shipment is in addition to the 650,000 vaccines that were provided to the Western Balkan states by the EU. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg, and Health Minister Wolfgang Mückstein all expressed their pleasure in working with Austria's neighbors to end the coronavirus pandemic.
August 11, 2021
High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina Farewelled by Austria
The High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Valentin Inzko, has left his position. Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg praised him for his many years of service and his support of the Western Balkans in a farewell statement.
August 2, 2021
Covid-19 in Austria: These Are the Updated Entry Rules
Due to today's amendment of the Austrian "COVID-19 Entry Regulation 2021", we bring you an update on the regulations for entering Austria.
July 20, 2021
At Summit With Merkel, Kurz Reaffirms Support for Western Balkan EU Accession
German Chancellor Angela Merkel hosted Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and other leaders for the Western Balkans Summit. Kurz expressed his full support for the six Western Balkan states Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. Read what he said.
July 15, 2021
Austrian-Based EU Strategy for the Danube Region Celebrates Anniversary
The EU Strategy for the Danube Region celebrates its 10th anniversary by highlighting its importance and contribution to Europe. 14 countries with a population of around 115 million people make up one of the strongest economic forces on the European continent.
June 29, 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'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
Bosnia and Herzegovina's Parliament Presidium Meets Austrian Counterpart
The Presidium of the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina met virtually with Austria's President of the National Council to discuss the accession process of Western Balkan states to the EU, current developments in the Covid-19 pandemic and other issues. Sobotka made clear that Bosnia and Herzegovina has Austria's full support during the accession process.
April 19, 2021
Naturalizations in Austria Decline Heavily
The number of naturalizations in Austria has also been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. After nine years of constantly rising numbers, naturalizations have decreased by 15.2 percent in 2020 compared to the previous year. Almost 9,000 people have gained Austrian citizenship, a third of them having Bosnian, Serbian or Turkish citizenship before naturalization.
February 12, 2021
Bosnia and Herzegovina Receives Support From Austria
The Austrian Foreign Ministry has decided to provide the United Nations International Organization for Migration (IOM) with EUR 1 million for the humanitarian care of refugees and migrants in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Foreign Minister Schallenberg is eager to support the affected people with rapid assistance directly in the area.
January 4, 2021
International Discussion About Europe's Fundamental Values in Salzburg
Politicians from Hungary, Srpska, Albania, Slovakia and Austria came together in Salzburg to discuss the fundamental values of Europe. Democracy, inner-European cooperation and the fight against Covid-19 were only some of the main topics.
September 29, 2020
Number of Naturalisations Decreased in Austria
The number of naturalisations decreased by one fifth in the first half of 2020. This might be due to the fewer party traffic during the COVID-19 lockdown which started in March.
August 25, 2020
Visit of US Secretary of State to Austria Results in a Joint Declaration by Austria and the United States
A joint declaration by Austria and United States was issued as part of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's visit to Austria. The declaration included, among other topics, commitment to rebuilding efforts after the Covid-19 crisis and the creation of an even better bilateral dialogue.
August 15, 2020
Austria Lifts Landing Bans for Airplanes from All 18 Countries that were Previously Banned
The previous landing bans for aircraft from 18 countries expired on 1 August 2020. From now on, new entry regulations will apply, requiring a mandatory Covid 19 test. There are exceptions for diplomats and some other groups.
August 1, 2020
New IOM Regional Director Renate Held Presents Credentials at UN Vienna
The new Permanent Representative of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to the United Nations, Renate Held, presented her credentials to the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna. The IOM has offices in 19 countries and territories in the "South-Eastern Europe, Eastern Europe and Central Asia Region" (SEEECA) including sub-regional offices in Central Asia and the Western Balkans.
July 22, 2020
Landing Ban at Austrian Airports Extended from 10 to 18 Countries
In the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, Austria will reinforce the landing bans for aircraft from COVID-19 risk areas as of Thursday, 16 July. Thus, landing bans will apply to aircraft from the following countries: Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, China, Egypt, Iran, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Sweden, United Kingdom and Ukraine.
July 14, 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
French "Ordre National du Mérite" Awarded to Major General Dorfer
François Saint-Paul, French Ambassador to Austria, has elevated Major General Martin Dorfer, Director in the Cabinet of the Minister of Defence, to the rank of Knight of the French National Order of Merit "Ordre National du Mérite".
November 6, 2019
EU Appoints Austrian Dr. Johann Sattler as New Special Representative to Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Council of the European Union appointed Johann Sattler as EU Special Representative (EUSR) in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He will also take over the role of the Head of the European Union's Delegation in Sarajevo.
August 9, 2019
Foreign Trade Gains with the Western Balkans
Exports worth 1.35 billion euros to the EU accession candidates of the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia) are balanced by imports to Austria worth 1.25 billion euros.
July 16, 2019
Austria Signed Memorandum with Economic Chambers of Western Balkan States
The representatives of the Economic Chamber and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Harald Mahrer and Karin Kneissl, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Economic Chambers of the Western Balkan states Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia and Montenegro. The aim is to strengthen regional cooperation at the economic level, particularly in the area of dual vocational training.
January 18, 2019
Opening of Austrian Cultural Forum Sarajevo - Strengthening of Cultural Ties
104 years after the murder of the archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife Sophie in Sarajevo, Austria opens the 30th Austrian Cultural Forum in the Bosnian capital. The Cultural Forum (Österreichisches Kulturforum Sarajewo / Austrijski kulturni forum Sarajevo) is part of the network of the Foreign Ministry. The aim is to strengthen the cultural links between South Eastern Europe and Austria.
December 4, 2018
Naturalizations in Austria in 2018 on the Rise
Austrian citizenship was granted to a total of 6,971 persons in the first three quarters of 2018. The Bosnians are ahead, followed by Turks, Serbs and Kosovars. In total, there were 115 more naturalisations than in the same period of the previous year (+1.7%).
November 15, 2018
Meet the New Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to Austria: H.E. Mr. Kemal Kozarić
The new Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to Austria, H.E. Mr. Kemal Kozarić presented Austrian Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen with his letter of accreditation at the Vienna Hofburg.
November 7, 2018
Meet the New Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the International Organizations in Vienna - Jugoslav Jovičić
The new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary at the Permanent Mission of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the UN, OSCE and IAEA, Jugoslav Jovičić, presented his credentials to the Director-General of the UNOV United Nations Office at Vienna, Yury Fedotov, and to Mikhail Chudakov, IAEA Acting Director General, and Head of the Department of Nuclear Energy at the IAEA headquarters.
October 16, 2018
Veiled, Unveiled! The Headscarf - A Man’s Word on a Woman’s Body
An intriguing exhibition at the World Museum Vienna deals with the significance of the headscarf and thus also touches on a current dispute in various countries about a so-called headscarf ban. Just a piece of cloth but laden with countless facets of meaning is causing a stir: the headscarf used by devout women to cover their head, their face, and occasionally their whole body. The religious duty of women to cover their head has been part of European culture for centuries, though. Its story begins with early Christianity and has remained a vibrant issue to this day.
October 11, 2018
Enlargement Perspectives for the Western Balkans - The Role of Parliaments
During a panel discussion in the Austrian Parliament, the perspective of enlargement for the Western Balkans and, in this context, the role of parliaments were discussed. The future of the six candidate countries in the Western Balkans is within the EU. They need an honest perspective for this common future with the EU Member States. The EU must contribute to ensuring the stability of the democracies in these countries. The former President of the German Bundestag, Norbert Lammert, attended the discussion.
October 11, 2018
The Window of Opportunity for the Western Balkans
Will the Western Balkan countries be able to take advantage of the moment and will it bring the year 2018 closer to the European Union? In February 2018, a new Enlargement Strategy was presented in Strasbourg by the EU Commission. Bulgaria, currently having the Presidency of the Council of the EU, will organize a major Balkan’s Summit in May. Austria, for a long time one of the most prominent promoters of the EU Enlargement for the Western Balkans and a country deeply intertwined with the region, will assume the EU presidency in the second half of 2018. This year represents one of the crucial moments for enlargement as major steps need to be undertaken to reach the goal of making the enlargement perspective realistic for 2025.
April 26, 2018
Goals for Austria's Presidency of the Council of the European Union
On 1 July 2018, Austria will take over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union from Bulgaria. During its Presidency of the Council of the European Union (1 July to 31 December 2018), guided by the motto "A Europe that protects", Austria will focus on three key areas: security and the fight against illegal migration, retaining competitiveness through digitalisation, and stability in the neighbouring regions (particularly the accession of the Western Balkans to the EU).
April 25, 2018
The New Balkans in the Year of Hope for EU Enlargement
2018 has been frequently described as the „year of hope“ for EU enlargement and for the Balkans. In February 2018, a new Enlargement Strategy was presented in Strasbourg by the EU Commission. Bulgaria, currently having the Presidency of the Council of the EU, will organize a major Balkan’s Summit in May 2018. Austria, for a long time one of the most prominent promoters of the EU Enlargement for the Western Balkans and a country deeply intertwined with the region, will assume the EU presidency in the second half of 2018. 2018 represents one of the crucial moments for enlargement as major steps need to be undertaken to reach the goal of making enlargement perspective realistic for 2025.
April 20, 2018
Former US Ambassador to Austria Swanee Hunt Back in Vienna: Can Women Stop War?
Activist, philanthropist, billionaire's daughter, Democrat, Harvard lecturer and former US Ambassador to Austria Swannee Hunt returns to Vienna to be interviewed at the Austrian Institute for International Affairs (oiip) on the subject of "Can Women Stop War?
April 11, 2018
The Western Balkans Remain a Priority of Austrian Foreign Policy
Because of a common history and the tradition of political, cultural and economic relations, Austrian foreign policy has always attached particular importance to the Western Balkans. The primary goal of Austrian foreign policy is to support the transformation of the Western Balkans area into a zone of stability. From the Austrian perspective there is only one option for the Western Balkans: a full European integration of the region. However, the political commitment from the regions' leaders is expected.
February 28, 2018
Western Balkans Summit was Held in Paris
Following the 2014 Western Balkans Summit in Berlin and the Vienna Western Balkans Summit of August 2015, the third Western Balkans Summit was held in Paris in the context of the ‘Berlin Process’. More than 500,000 of the people with migration background who live in Austria are from the region. Austrian companies have hundreds of branches or subsidiaries in the Western Balkans, which clearly illustrates the very close economic relations.
July 8, 2016
Western Balkans Countries Discussed Investment, Jobs and Integration in Vienna
The World Bank and the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (wiiw) held a high-level policy dialogue on ‘Investment, Jobs and Integration’ last week. Ministers and senior officials from the Western Balkans region as well as policy experts from international organisations and the business community gathered to discuss the challenges the region is currently facing, in particular the high unemployment rate, low international competitiveness, and lack of modern infrastructure.
July 8, 2016
Central European Initiative Discusses Refugee Crisis in Banja Luka
Foreign Ministers of the 18 member states of the Central European Initiative (CEI) met in Bosnia Herzegovina, which holds the initiative’s annual rotating Chairmanship this year. Discussions mainly focused on the refugee crisis and potential solutions.
June 20, 2016
The Western Balkans Conference Which Led to Row Over Worsening Refugee Crisis
Convened on the initiative of Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz and Austrian Minister of the Interior Johanna Mikl-Leitner, the Western Balkans conference “Managing Migration Together” was held at the Federal Ministry of the Interior in Vienna. 18 foreign and interior ministers from the Western Balkans attended the conference. The participants included the foreign and interior ministers of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia.
February 26, 2016
Central and Eastern Europe's Financial Elite Gathered at the CEE Forum in Vienna
The 21st Euromoney Central and Eastern European Forum ended in Vienna today, where 1000 delegates from the region joined local and international investors to help plan, debate and analyze the economic agenda for the region for the year ahead. The vast majority of the delegates have a negative outlook for the year 2016. Only one of the participants expects that this year CEE will grow more than 3.5%.
January 20, 2016
Strabag Builds Hydroelectric Power Plant in Bosnia-Herzegovina Worth € 57 Million
A consortium consisting of Austrian construction group Strabag and Croatian industrial company Končar has been awarded the contract to build the Vranduk power plant on the river Bosna on behalf of energy supply company JP Elektroprivreda BiH.
January 11, 2016
Report: Drug Money and Opiate Trafficking on the Balkan Route
A report recently launched by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) shows that the total value of illicit heroin and opium trafficked from Afghanistan to Western Europe through the Balkans amounts to some $28 billion every year. Sixty-five per cent of this total ($18 billion) is generated in Western and Central Europe.
December 14, 2015
Austria Supports Bosnia and Herzegovina's EU Reform Agenda
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs’ Secretary General, Linhart visited Sarajevo. EU-accession and fight against radicalization were in the centre of the talks. Linhart: “Full support for the Bosnian reform route”.
November 20, 2015
Only Full EU-Integration Can Stabilise the Western Balkans for a Lasting Time
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sebastian Kurz commented on the European Commission’s progress reports, which were presented earlier this month: “Most of the Western Balkans countries’ progress on their way in direction of EU-membership is noticeable and positive. The Commission’s new methodology renders possible an improved analysis on the progress made in the respective countries in the last year. This creates a positive competition. The new progress reports also underscore that all candidate countries still have a lot of hard work before them and EU support towards this is essential. The current refugee crisis is no exception in this respect as it shows, how important the Western Balkans countries and Turkey are to Europe in tackling this particular challenge.”
November 18, 2015
Euromoney Names UniCredit-Bank Best Bank in CEE
Euromoney has presented UniCredit with nine awards for excellence, including Best Bank in Central Eastern Europe, Best Debt House in Central Eastern Europe and Best Transaction Services House in Central Eastern Europe.
July 14, 2015
EBRD Sees Mixed Outlook for CESEE Countries in 2015-16
The outlook for economies in central and south eastern Europe is improving on the back of eurozone monetary easing but prospects further to the east of the transition region have worsened, as the impact of Russia’s recession intensifies.
May 14, 2015
Cost of Living Rankings: CEE Capitals Cheaper, Vienna is 32nd Most Expensive City
The Mercer's 2014 Cost of Living Rankings have been published and cover 211 cities across five continents. While Western European cities have all risen in the rankings mainly due to the strengthening of the Euro against the US dollar, most cities in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), however have fallen in the ranking as a result of local currencies depreciating against the US dollar. Bratislava (#84), Prague (#92), Kiev (#98), Ljubljana (#116), Zagreb (#120), Budapest (#135), Warsaw (#142), Belgrade (#184).
July 25, 2014
Austria's Foreign Policy on the Western Balkans
Due to centuries of political, cultural and economic interrelations, Austrian foreign policy has always attached particular importance to the Balkans. The prime goal of Austrian foreign policy is to support the transformation of the Western Balkans into a zone of stability.
June 4, 2014
Austria: Western Balkans Representatives are Meeting in Vienna
The Western Balkans Conference and the Central European Initiative (CEI) Ministerial Meeting are currently discussing questions regarding the EU enlargement, the role of the EU as a peace project and the economic situation in the Western Balkans.
June 3, 2014
Raiffeisen Bank International AG - SWOT Analysis & Company Report May 2014
This new report contains in depth information and data about Raiffeisen Bank International AG and its operations and markets. It contains an overview, business and strategy description, financial ratios, valuation & forecast data and a SWOT analysis.
April 25, 2014
ECB Puts Pressure on Hypo Group
The distressed Austrian nationalized lender has no access to the Eurosystem monetary policy credit instruments. About ten potential buyers might be interested in the Balkan lender.
April 5, 2014
Bosnian Billionaire to Acquire Hypo Group?
The Finance Ministry confirmed the announcement and is now examining the offer.
April 4, 2014
Hypo Group: Five Potential Buyers for CESEE Affiliates
Alexander Picker, CEO of the nationalized bank Hypo Group Alpe Adria, is optimistic that the affiliates in the Western Balkan countries may be sold until the end of 2014.
March 1, 2014
Fast News Search
