Today in Austria: A roundup of the latest news on Friday
Every weekday, The Local brings you an English-language summary of the news you need to know in Austria.
Members of Austria's national Covid-19 crisis coordination team may resign later
Some members of Austria’s national Covid-19 crisis coordination team (GECKO) may resign later on Friday due to anger over the government’s decisions to go ahead with opening steps on March 5th, the Wiener Zeitung newspaper reports. It quotes molecular biologist Andreas Bergthaler saying: "Some people are feeling high levels of resentment at Gecko."
READ MORE: Free Covid-19 tests to be limited in Austria from mid-April
Vienna puts stricter restrictions in place for hospitals
As The Local reported on Thursday, Vienna has announced stricter measures in response to high numbers of infections in the Covid-19 pandemic. Mayor Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) said on Thursday that the nation’s capital will continue to take a different path to the federal government.
Measures will not be relaxed, while several rules in hospitals and nursing homes will be tightened.
“The pandemic has not been mastered,” Ludwig said at a press conference.
READ MORE:
Tyrol looking for Ukrainian speaking teachers
Tyrol is urgently looking for teachers who speak Ukrainian due to a sudden influx of school age refugees into the region. Russian-speaking teachers would only be used in emergencies, the state said. Three weeks after Russia invaded Ukraine, 1,500 schoolchildren who fled Ukraine are being educated in Austria, broadcaster ORF reports. There are 800 in Vienna alone. Teachers are already facing challenges due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
READ MORE: How Austria and Austrians are helping Ukrainian refugees
Operations cancelled in Salzburg
Due to many staff being in quarantine, the Tauern Clinic and the Schwarzach Hospital in Salzburg have to postpone half of all of their planned operations, broadcaster ORF reports. Beds have to be kept free for emergencies, for example people injured in skiing incidents.
READ MORE: Austria among highest hospitalisation rates in Europe
Cigarettes to get more expensive in Austria
Cigarettes will become more expensive in Austria in April. One reason will be an increase in tobacco tax on April 1st. Broadcaster ORF reports the tobacco industry experienced higher sales during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the industry is expecting a decline in sales this year. The end of travel restrictions also means people can more easily source cigarettes from other countries, avoiding tax. A spokesman forPhilip Morris confirmed there would be a price increase in an interview with Radio Vienna. It is rumoured cigarettes will increase in price by 20 cents per pack.
Calls for competition authority to examine rise in petrol and diesel prices
Austria’s Transport Association or Verkehrsclub (VCÖ) is asking for the country’s Federal Competition Authority (BWB) to look into the price of Eurosuper petrol, broadcaster ORF reports. The price of Eurosuper has risen higher in Austria than in any other EU country since the end of February, the VCÖ claims, based on data from the EU Commission. There have been few changes to fuel taxation in this time. According to the VCÖ analysis, a litre of Super on March 14th cost 1.987 euros, which is 46 cents more than two weeks before the end of February.
Austria had the second highest price increase for diesel in the EU after Germany (57 cents), with 50 cents, the VCÖ reported. The increase in diesel prices in Austria was five cents higher than in the Czech Republic and Finland, seven cents higher than in the Netherlands, eight cents higher than in Estonia, nine cents higher than in Italy and ten cents higher than in Poland and France.
Comments
See Also
Members of Austria's national Covid-19 crisis coordination team may resign later
Some members of Austria’s national Covid-19 crisis coordination team (GECKO) may resign later on Friday due to anger over the government’s decisions to go ahead with opening steps on March 5th, the Wiener Zeitung newspaper reports. It quotes molecular biologist Andreas Bergthaler saying: "Some people are feeling high levels of resentment at Gecko."
READ MORE: Free Covid-19 tests to be limited in Austria from mid-April
Vienna puts stricter restrictions in place for hospitals
As The Local reported on Thursday, Vienna has announced stricter measures in response to high numbers of infections in the Covid-19 pandemic. Mayor Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) said on Thursday that the nation’s capital will continue to take a different path to the federal government.
Measures will not be relaxed, while several rules in hospitals and nursing homes will be tightened.
“The pandemic has not been mastered,” Ludwig said at a press conference.
READ MORE:
Tyrol looking for Ukrainian speaking teachers
Tyrol is urgently looking for teachers who speak Ukrainian due to a sudden influx of school age refugees into the region. Russian-speaking teachers would only be used in emergencies, the state said. Three weeks after Russia invaded Ukraine, 1,500 schoolchildren who fled Ukraine are being educated in Austria, broadcaster ORF reports. There are 800 in Vienna alone. Teachers are already facing challenges due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
READ MORE: How Austria and Austrians are helping Ukrainian refugees
Operations cancelled in Salzburg
Due to many staff being in quarantine, the Tauern Clinic and the Schwarzach Hospital in Salzburg have to postpone half of all of their planned operations, broadcaster ORF reports. Beds have to be kept free for emergencies, for example people injured in skiing incidents.
READ MORE: Austria among highest hospitalisation rates in Europe
Cigarettes to get more expensive in Austria
Cigarettes will become more expensive in Austria in April. One reason will be an increase in tobacco tax on April 1st. Broadcaster ORF reports the tobacco industry experienced higher sales during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the industry is expecting a decline in sales this year. The end of travel restrictions also means people can more easily source cigarettes from other countries, avoiding tax. A spokesman forPhilip Morris confirmed there would be a price increase in an interview with Radio Vienna. It is rumoured cigarettes will increase in price by 20 cents per pack.
Calls for competition authority to examine rise in petrol and diesel prices
Austria’s Transport Association or Verkehrsclub (VCÖ) is asking for the country’s Federal Competition Authority (BWB) to look into the price of Eurosuper petrol, broadcaster ORF reports. The price of Eurosuper has risen higher in Austria than in any other EU country since the end of February, the VCÖ claims, based on data from the EU Commission. There have been few changes to fuel taxation in this time. According to the VCÖ analysis, a litre of Super on March 14th cost 1.987 euros, which is 46 cents more than two weeks before the end of February.
Austria had the second highest price increase for diesel in the EU after Germany (57 cents), with 50 cents, the VCÖ reported. The increase in diesel prices in Austria was five cents higher than in the Czech Republic and Finland, seven cents higher than in the Netherlands, eight cents higher than in Estonia, nine cents higher than in Italy and ten cents higher than in Poland and France.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.