Today in Austria: A round up of the latest news on Tuesday
Find out what's going on in Austria on Tuesday with The Local's short roundup of the news.
More privileges for vaccinated people
People who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 are closer to not needing to show a negative test result to obtain entry to areas such as museums or restaurants on May 19th, following a vote yesterday by Austria’s National Council, broadcaster ORF reports.
The vote means legislation can now be passed to exempt vaccinated people from testing.
The council also discussed Austria continuing to develop its own digital green pass.
READ MORE: Green pass: Austria to implement nationwide immunity card by mid-May
Seven day incidence at 147
The seven-day incidence, or the number of new infections with the coronavirus in the past seven days per 100,000 inhabitants, is 147, according to the AGES database.
The number is highest in Vorarlberg (227.1) and Tyrol (175.2). The value is still lowest in Burgenland (86.0) and Lower Austria (100.1).
Terror victims still waiting for compensation
Six months after the terrorist attack in Vienna, those who survived are still waiting for compensation. The SPÖ party is calling on the federal government to finally fully compensate the victims of the terrorist attack and the relatives of the murdered terrorist victims quickly and without too much bureaucracy, broadcaster ORF reports.
READ MORE: Four killed in Vienna terror attack
Lockdown led to loss of almost €2 billion in trade
The lockdown over Easter led to a loss of €1.95 billion in Austria’s eastern states, the Wiener Zeitung newspaper reports, according to the trade association.
Vienna made up €1 billion of the total. Customers were still hesitant to shop after non essential retail opened on Monday, commercial director of the Vienna Chamber of Commerce Margarete Gumprecht told the paper.
She also said as soon as the state aid subsided and repayments were due, a wave of bankruptcies could roll in.
Bike boom in Austria
More and more people are getting on bicycles, with a 13 percent rise in bike sales during the coronavirus pandemic, the Wiener Zeitung newspaper reports.
In total, more than 496,000 bicycles were sold in 2020. Many retailers were already sold out in the summer of 2020 according to Gernot Kellermayr, President of the Association of Sports Goods Manufacturers and Sports Equipment Manufacturers Austria (VSSÖ).
More protection needed for women against violent criminals
There is not enough protection for women against violent criminals in Austria, the Wiener Zeitung newspaper reports.
A 35-year-old was shot dead by her ex-partner on Thursday evening, the ninth woman to be murdered in Austria this year.
Minister of Social Affairs Wolfgang Mückstein said he was "sad and angry" as the father of two daughters. A demonstration was held against femicide in Vienna on Monday evening.
READ MORE: Outrage in Austria over ninth femicide of 2021
Long term unemployment worsens
The pandemic has worsened the issue of long-term unemployment in Austria, Die Presse newspaper reports.
The gradual economic recovery from the pandemic has reduced overall unemployment to 433,443, taking the country to a rate of 8.7 percent, which is lower than 2016.
At the same time, 97,355 people have now been unemployed for a year or longer, which is 78 percent more than was the case in April 2020.
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More privileges for vaccinated people
People who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 are closer to not needing to show a negative test result to obtain entry to areas such as museums or restaurants on May 19th, following a vote yesterday by Austria’s National Council, broadcaster ORF reports.
The vote means legislation can now be passed to exempt vaccinated people from testing.
The council also discussed Austria continuing to develop its own digital green pass.
READ MORE: Green pass: Austria to implement nationwide immunity card by mid-May
Seven day incidence at 147
The seven-day incidence, or the number of new infections with the coronavirus in the past seven days per 100,000 inhabitants, is 147, according to the AGES database.
The number is highest in Vorarlberg (227.1) and Tyrol (175.2). The value is still lowest in Burgenland (86.0) and Lower Austria (100.1).
Terror victims still waiting for compensation
Six months after the terrorist attack in Vienna, those who survived are still waiting for compensation. The SPÖ party is calling on the federal government to finally fully compensate the victims of the terrorist attack and the relatives of the murdered terrorist victims quickly and without too much bureaucracy, broadcaster ORF reports.
READ MORE: Four killed in Vienna terror attack
Lockdown led to loss of almost €2 billion in trade
The lockdown over Easter led to a loss of €1.95 billion in Austria’s eastern states, the Wiener Zeitung newspaper reports, according to the trade association.
Vienna made up €1 billion of the total. Customers were still hesitant to shop after non essential retail opened on Monday, commercial director of the Vienna Chamber of Commerce Margarete Gumprecht told the paper.
She also said as soon as the state aid subsided and repayments were due, a wave of bankruptcies could roll in.
Bike boom in Austria
More and more people are getting on bicycles, with a 13 percent rise in bike sales during the coronavirus pandemic, the Wiener Zeitung newspaper reports.
In total, more than 496,000 bicycles were sold in 2020. Many retailers were already sold out in the summer of 2020 according to Gernot Kellermayr, President of the Association of Sports Goods Manufacturers and Sports Equipment Manufacturers Austria (VSSÖ).
More protection needed for women against violent criminals
There is not enough protection for women against violent criminals in Austria, the Wiener Zeitung newspaper reports.
A 35-year-old was shot dead by her ex-partner on Thursday evening, the ninth woman to be murdered in Austria this year.
Minister of Social Affairs Wolfgang Mückstein said he was "sad and angry" as the father of two daughters. A demonstration was held against femicide in Vienna on Monday evening.
READ MORE: Outrage in Austria over ninth femicide of 2021
Long term unemployment worsens
The pandemic has worsened the issue of long-term unemployment in Austria, Die Presse newspaper reports.
The gradual economic recovery from the pandemic has reduced overall unemployment to 433,443, taking the country to a rate of 8.7 percent, which is lower than 2016.
At the same time, 97,355 people have now been unemployed for a year or longer, which is 78 percent more than was the case in April 2020.
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