Today in Austria: A round up of the latest news on Thursday
Find out what's going on on Thursday in Austria with The Local's short roundup of the news.
Austrian Chancellor says he will not resign
Public prosecutors are investigating Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz for allegedly making false statements during the parliamentary inquiry into the Ibiza scandal.
The Constitutional Court VfGH has ordered Kurz to hand over additional email evidence to the inquiry. The Chancellor has given an interview to the ZiB2 programme in which he denies the charges and says "Of course I will not resign".
READ MORE: Austria’s chancellor facing investigation over false statement to MPs
Fast economic recovery predicted for Austria by European Commission
The European Commission is projecting a fast post-pandemic economic recovery in Austria, with 3.4 percent growth expected in 2021 and 4.3 percent for 2022, Der Standard newspaper reports. The Austrian recovery is driven by exports and a recovery of domestic consumption, although the recovery of tourism is more difficult to predict, the newspaper says.
Climate proofing needed for construction sector, unions claim
Trade and business unions from the Austrian construction sector are calling for a large-scale, €140 billion climate-proofing project for housing and public buildings, to avoid fines for exceeding CO2 targets, Die Presse newspaper reports.
Testing strategies for May 19th opening vary across Austria
The different states of Austria are coming up with ideas to allow people to carry out tests before accessing hotels, restaurants, sport and events when Austria opens up on May 19. As yet there is no central platform to register the tests throughout Austria.
- Salzburg and Upper Austria have announced they will make “living room” tests available as are currently used in Vorarlberg, in which people can test themselves at home and then register the tests in an online portal using a QR code.
- Upper Austria will make 20 self-test sets with QR codes available per month on Tuesday and use a website to register the test.
- Styria plans to administer more antigen tests, and says around 750,000 a month will be available in Graz, for example. On May 18th and 19th there will be extended opening times in the test stations until 8pm and in Graz until 10pm .
- Vienna will continue to rely on its ‘Alles Gurgelt” gargle test programme. A registration app for restaurants is promised by the Chamber of Commerce
READ MORE: Austria: What are Vienna’s coronavirus gurgle tests?
READ MORE: What can Austria learn from Vorarlberg allowing indoor dining and events from Monday
Border traffic relaxed between Bavaria and Austria
The borders have been open to day trippers between Bavaria and Austria since midnight. Those crossing the border must show they have been vaccinated, tested or recovered from Covid-19, and the relaxation only applies to travelers who have only stayed in Germany or Austria in the past ten days. Tyrolean governor Günther Platter has also called for easing of restrictions of border traffic between Tyrol in Austria and South Tyrol, which is in Italy.
Landing ban extended for India, South Africa and Brazil
Aircraft from the virus mutation areas India, South Africa and Brazil are not allowed to land in Austria at least until the beginning of June. The current landing ban, which would have expired next Tuesday, has been extended to June 6th.
READ MORE: Austria to impose landing ban from India amid variant concerns.
Lower Austria to go ‘orange’
Lower Austria will join Burgenland as rated “orange” by Austria’s coronavirus traffic light commission. Orange is still “high risk” for coronavirus transmission but lower than red, which is defined as “acute” risk.
READ MORE: Explained: How does Austria’s coronavirus traffic light system work
Seven day incidence at 89
The seven-day incidence, or the number of new infections with the coronavirus in the past seven days per 100,000 inhabitants, is 89.1 according to the AGES database. The number is highest in Vorarlberg (152.6) and Styria (120.2). The number is lowest in Burgenland at 47.5.
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Austrian Chancellor says he will not resign
Public prosecutors are investigating Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz for allegedly making false statements during the parliamentary inquiry into the Ibiza scandal.
The Constitutional Court VfGH has ordered Kurz to hand over additional email evidence to the inquiry. The Chancellor has given an interview to the ZiB2 programme in which he denies the charges and says "Of course I will not resign".
READ MORE: Austria’s chancellor facing investigation over false statement to MPs
Fast economic recovery predicted for Austria by European Commission
The European Commission is projecting a fast post-pandemic economic recovery in Austria, with 3.4 percent growth expected in 2021 and 4.3 percent for 2022, Der Standard newspaper reports. The Austrian recovery is driven by exports and a recovery of domestic consumption, although the recovery of tourism is more difficult to predict, the newspaper says.
Climate proofing needed for construction sector, unions claim
Trade and business unions from the Austrian construction sector are calling for a large-scale, €140 billion climate-proofing project for housing and public buildings, to avoid fines for exceeding CO2 targets, Die Presse newspaper reports.
Testing strategies for May 19th opening vary across Austria
The different states of Austria are coming up with ideas to allow people to carry out tests before accessing hotels, restaurants, sport and events when Austria opens up on May 19. As yet there is no central platform to register the tests throughout Austria.
- Salzburg and Upper Austria have announced they will make “living room” tests available as are currently used in Vorarlberg, in which people can test themselves at home and then register the tests in an online portal using a QR code.
- Upper Austria will make 20 self-test sets with QR codes available per month on Tuesday and use a website to register the test.
- Styria plans to administer more antigen tests, and says around 750,000 a month will be available in Graz, for example. On May 18th and 19th there will be extended opening times in the test stations until 8pm and in Graz until 10pm .
- Vienna will continue to rely on its ‘Alles Gurgelt” gargle test programme. A registration app for restaurants is promised by the Chamber of Commerce
READ MORE: Austria: What are Vienna’s coronavirus gurgle tests?
READ MORE: What can Austria learn from Vorarlberg allowing indoor dining and events from Monday
Border traffic relaxed between Bavaria and Austria
The borders have been open to day trippers between Bavaria and Austria since midnight. Those crossing the border must show they have been vaccinated, tested or recovered from Covid-19, and the relaxation only applies to travelers who have only stayed in Germany or Austria in the past ten days. Tyrolean governor Günther Platter has also called for easing of restrictions of border traffic between Tyrol in Austria and South Tyrol, which is in Italy.
Landing ban extended for India, South Africa and Brazil
Aircraft from the virus mutation areas India, South Africa and Brazil are not allowed to land in Austria at least until the beginning of June. The current landing ban, which would have expired next Tuesday, has been extended to June 6th.
READ MORE: Austria to impose landing ban from India amid variant concerns.
Lower Austria to go ‘orange’
Lower Austria will join Burgenland as rated “orange” by Austria’s coronavirus traffic light commission. Orange is still “high risk” for coronavirus transmission but lower than red, which is defined as “acute” risk.
READ MORE: Explained: How does Austria’s coronavirus traffic light system work
Seven day incidence at 89
The seven-day incidence, or the number of new infections with the coronavirus in the past seven days per 100,000 inhabitants, is 89.1 according to the AGES database. The number is highest in Vorarlberg (152.6) and Styria (120.2). The number is lowest in Burgenland at 47.5.
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