Today in Austria: A roundup of the latest news on Monday
Every weekday, The Local brings you an English-language summary of the news you need to know in Austria.
Austria protected by NATO despite neutrality
Austria will be protected by NATO in the event of Russian aggression, Chancellor Karl Nehammer has told Der Standard newspaper.
At the EU summit last week in Paris, the EU states also promised those neutral EU countries that are not members of NATO, such as Austria, military assistance in the event of an attack.
According to the Chancellor, this applies to Malta, Ireland, Cyprus and Austria, but also to Finland and Sweden. Nehammer (ÖVP) told the newspaper the promise had “remarkable clarity”. However, he emphasised there were no plans for an EU army.
READ MORE: The reason behind Austria’s neutrality
Specialist refugee unit created
Austria’s Chancellor Kark Nehammer has created a specialist unit to coordinate Ukrainian refugees, which will be headed up by Major General Michael Takacs. Takacs already worked in 2015 and 2016 as a cabinet secretary for Christian Konrad, who was Austria’s refugee coordinator at the time.
There is an enormous willingness from Austrian people to help the refugees currently coming into Austria, according to Nehammer. Almost 30,000 lodgings for the newcomers have already been registered with the Federal Agency for Care and Support Services (BBU).
READ MORE:
- How Austria and Austrians are helping Ukranian refugees
- How Austria is preparing to accept Ukrainian refugees
No plans for restrictions despite spiralling Covid-19 infections
Austria’s Commission for Covid-19 (GECKO) and the Minister of Health Johannes Rauch (Greens) are against reintroducing more restrictions despite rising Covid-19 cases, broadcaster ORF reports. Numbers in hospitals are stable.
Rauch wants to make wearing masks voluntary and is against stopping free Covid tests. Compulsory vaccinations might be reintroduced in autumn. However, Finance Minister Magnus Brunner wants to phase out free testing for everyone, he told broadcaster ORF in an interview.
ANALYSIS: Are Vienna’s tighter Covid measures ‘a mistake’?
Ukrainian Saturday school numbers double
A Ukrainian Saturday school in Vienna has seen its numbers double in the past week, Der Standard newspaper reports. The newspaper reports 450 new students have registered in the past few days.
The school, which has been running for ten years, is in Beethovenplatz 1 in the first district of Vienna. Ukrainian children attend the school in addition to their Austrian schooling at weekends, and learn the Ukrainian language and culture, but also physics, biology, history and ethical religious studies.
More trains to transport refugees
Climate Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) has announced that Austria will send trains to the Polish-Ukrainian border to transport refugees. Gewessler underlined that Austria will continue to provide support to Ukraine during a trip to Poland at the weekend, broadcaster ORF reports.
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Austria protected by NATO despite neutrality
Austria will be protected by NATO in the event of Russian aggression, Chancellor Karl Nehammer has told Der Standard newspaper.
At the EU summit last week in Paris, the EU states also promised those neutral EU countries that are not members of NATO, such as Austria, military assistance in the event of an attack.
According to the Chancellor, this applies to Malta, Ireland, Cyprus and Austria, but also to Finland and Sweden. Nehammer (ÖVP) told the newspaper the promise had “remarkable clarity”. However, he emphasised there were no plans for an EU army.
READ MORE: The reason behind Austria’s neutrality
Specialist refugee unit created
Austria’s Chancellor Kark Nehammer has created a specialist unit to coordinate Ukrainian refugees, which will be headed up by Major General Michael Takacs. Takacs already worked in 2015 and 2016 as a cabinet secretary for Christian Konrad, who was Austria’s refugee coordinator at the time.
There is an enormous willingness from Austrian people to help the refugees currently coming into Austria, according to Nehammer. Almost 30,000 lodgings for the newcomers have already been registered with the Federal Agency for Care and Support Services (BBU).
READ MORE:
- How Austria and Austrians are helping Ukranian refugees
- How Austria is preparing to accept Ukrainian refugees
No plans for restrictions despite spiralling Covid-19 infections
Austria’s Commission for Covid-19 (GECKO) and the Minister of Health Johannes Rauch (Greens) are against reintroducing more restrictions despite rising Covid-19 cases, broadcaster ORF reports. Numbers in hospitals are stable.
Rauch wants to make wearing masks voluntary and is against stopping free Covid tests. Compulsory vaccinations might be reintroduced in autumn. However, Finance Minister Magnus Brunner wants to phase out free testing for everyone, he told broadcaster ORF in an interview.
ANALYSIS: Are Vienna’s tighter Covid measures ‘a mistake’?
Ukrainian Saturday school numbers double
A Ukrainian Saturday school in Vienna has seen its numbers double in the past week, Der Standard newspaper reports. The newspaper reports 450 new students have registered in the past few days.
The school, which has been running for ten years, is in Beethovenplatz 1 in the first district of Vienna. Ukrainian children attend the school in addition to their Austrian schooling at weekends, and learn the Ukrainian language and culture, but also physics, biology, history and ethical religious studies.
More trains to transport refugees
Climate Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) has announced that Austria will send trains to the Polish-Ukrainian border to transport refugees. Gewessler underlined that Austria will continue to provide support to Ukraine during a trip to Poland at the weekend, broadcaster ORF reports.
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