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Today in Austria For Members

Today in Austria: A roundup of the latest news on Tuesday

Catherine Edwards
Catherine Edwards - [email protected]
Today in Austria: A roundup of the latest news on Tuesday
A couple walk past closed boutique stores on the Graben, a street in the city centre of Vienna that is normally packed with crowds of people during one of Austria's lockdowns. (Photo by JOE KLAMAR / AFP)

Every weekday, The Local brings you an English-language summary of the news you need to know in Austria.

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Austria has got more corrupt, survey shows

The survey in question is the annual Corruption Index from Transparency International, in which Austria lost two points compared to last year, gaining only 74 out of a possible 100 points.

The country's international ranking actually increased from 15th place to 13th, but the local chapter of Transparency International said this was "not least due to the fact that corruption is also becoming an ever greater problem in many other countries".

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Could Austria soon ease restrictions despite Omicron wave?

Case numbers are still rising as Austria faces the Omicron wave, but that may no longer be such a decisive factor in setting restrictions if the milder nature of this variant means healthcare facilities can cope with a higher number of cases.

Some politicians, including Burgenland governor Hans Peter Doskozil and the NEOS opposition party, have called to an end to the lockdown on unvaccinated people and for the 10pm curfew on restaurants and bars to be relaxed.

But any easing of restrictions would come from discussions between the GECKO crisis committee and the government, who haven't suggested that this will be happening in the very near future.

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Viennese businesses call for end to Covid demos

Weekly demonstrations in Vienna's city centre have discouraged locals and visitors from going to the area, business owners have complained in a letter to the city council.

"While no one is allowed to enter a shop or bar who is not vaccinated, thousands of unvaccinated people move through the city center without keeping distance and without masks every week,” the letter states, also noting that the heavy police presence and circling helicopters each week added to a sense of unease.

More raids on fake vaccine passes

Police have been carrying out more checks on bars and restaurants in Schladming ahead of the Nightrace ski event.

Although no violations by apres ski venues were found, police did seize more than ten fake vaccine passes during house raids following an anonymous tip-off.

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