Today in Austria: A roundup of the latest news on Wednesday
Every weekday, The Local brings you an English-language summary of the news you need to know in Austria.
Green pass validity extended by next week
The validity of the "Green Passport" will be extended. Health Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens) announced on the broadcaster ORF “Report” on Tuesday that the extension would be in place by the beginning of next week at the latest.
He made assurances that Austrians’ Easter holidays would not be affected by an expiring green pass, which shows proof of a Covid-19 vaccination or recovery from the disease. He also said the current reduced testing regime will last until autumn.
READ MORE: Why are the numbers of fully-vaccinated people going down in Austria?
More EU sanctions against Russia
The EU tightened its sanctions against Russia again on Wednesday. It is believed to have proposed a ban on coal imports, an insider told the Reuters news agency. Wood, cement, rubber, chemicals and luxury foods and drinks such as caviar and vodka are also to be included in the sanctions list.
The export of semiconductors, high-tech machines, certain liquid gas technology and other equipment is to be banned. Russian ships and trucks should not be allowed to enter EU countries.
While Austria and Germany have spoken against a gas or oil embargo, several German and Austrian economists have repeatedly spoken out in favour of stopping Russian oil imports in recent weeks.
The boss of Wifo (the Austrian Institute of Economic Research) Gabriel Felbermayr supports this plan, the Wiener Zeitung newspaper reports.
READ MORE:
Unlike gas, only ten percent of domestic oil imports come from Russia. Almost half of the oil consumed in Austria comes from Kazakhstan and Iraq. Oil exports make up around a third of Russian exports, compared to gas, which is only seven percent. In theory, an oil embargo would hit Russia's economy harder than gas sanctions.
The Vienna Institute for International Economic Comparisons (wiiw) expects the Russian economy to shrink by between seven and 15 percent this year, while inflation in Russia could rise to 30 percent.
Gas import ban ‘unrealistic’ says Austria’s Chancellor
Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) has described an active import ban on Russian natural gas as "unrealistic" at a crisis cabinet meeting in the Federal Ministry of Defence on Tuesday. Austria is trying to diversify its gas imports and create more sustainable energy production. "Unfortunately, that doesn't happen overnight," he told the meeting, broadcaster ORF reports.
READ MORE: Austria's Nehammer to visit Zelensky in Ukraine
Austria does not plan to expel Russian diplomats
Despite many other EU countries expelling Russian diplomats, Austria’s Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg does not want to follow suit. He told the ORF Zib 2 programme that he found it “regrettable” that each state was acting individually, rather than in co-ordination with each other.
He said expelling Russian diplomats would lead to Austrian diplomats being expelled from Russia. However, he said he would “reserve the right to expel diplomats," and criticised the Russian embassy in Vienna as a "propaganda machine." He also said there could be no return to Austria’s previous relationship with Vladimir Putin, stating "We all misjudged him.”
Opposition SPÖ party calls for Austria to do more as inflation hits almost seven percent
The opposition SPÖ leader Pamela Rendi-Wagner criticised the government for allowing benchmark rents on Altbau apartments and buildings to rise, as inflation hits almost seven percent in Austria, at a special meeting of the National Council on Tuesday. She said the rent increases would force inflation even higher.
She argued people were starting to have to choose between eating or heating due to rising energy and food prices, while energy companies made big profits and the Ministry of Finance received VAT revenues on electricity and gas.
The SPÖ leader also criticised the recent warning by Finance Minister Magnus Brunner (ÖVP) that unions had to hold back on wage rounds in order to prevent a spiral of wage savings.
However, Austria’s Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) defended his measures, citing recent cost-of-living packages designed to help people particularly affected by rising energy costs. He also referred to the suspension of the green electricity flat rate, which would relieve all households, broadcaster ORF reports.
50,000 refugees from Ukraine now registered in Austria, including 5,000 schoolchildren
So far around 50,000 refugees from Ukraine are registered in Austria, most of them women and children. Around 5,000 children and young people who have fled Ukraine are now enrolled in the schools.
The largest number of Ukrainian students are in Vienna (around 1,300) and Lower Austria (around 1,400), followed by Styria and Upper Austria (around 500 each), Tyrol (around 400), Carinthia, Salzburg and Burgenland (around 300) and Vorarlberg (around 100), broadcaster ORF reports.
‘Ghost’ cruise ship finally taken away
A river cruise ship in Vienna which was stranded in front of the marina in Döbling for two years after its operator went bankrupt during the Covid-19 pandemic has finally been taken away. The ship left Vienna on Monday evening, broadcaster ORF reports.
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Green pass validity extended by next week
The validity of the "Green Passport" will be extended. Health Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens) announced on the broadcaster ORF “Report” on Tuesday that the extension would be in place by the beginning of next week at the latest.
He made assurances that Austrians’ Easter holidays would not be affected by an expiring green pass, which shows proof of a Covid-19 vaccination or recovery from the disease. He also said the current reduced testing regime will last until autumn.
READ MORE: Why are the numbers of fully-vaccinated people going down in Austria?
More EU sanctions against Russia
The EU tightened its sanctions against Russia again on Wednesday. It is believed to have proposed a ban on coal imports, an insider told the Reuters news agency. Wood, cement, rubber, chemicals and luxury foods and drinks such as caviar and vodka are also to be included in the sanctions list.
The export of semiconductors, high-tech machines, certain liquid gas technology and other equipment is to be banned. Russian ships and trucks should not be allowed to enter EU countries.
While Austria and Germany have spoken against a gas or oil embargo, several German and Austrian economists have repeatedly spoken out in favour of stopping Russian oil imports in recent weeks.
The boss of Wifo (the Austrian Institute of Economic Research) Gabriel Felbermayr supports this plan, the Wiener Zeitung newspaper reports.
READ MORE:
Unlike gas, only ten percent of domestic oil imports come from Russia. Almost half of the oil consumed in Austria comes from Kazakhstan and Iraq. Oil exports make up around a third of Russian exports, compared to gas, which is only seven percent. In theory, an oil embargo would hit Russia's economy harder than gas sanctions.
The Vienna Institute for International Economic Comparisons (wiiw) expects the Russian economy to shrink by between seven and 15 percent this year, while inflation in Russia could rise to 30 percent.
Gas import ban ‘unrealistic’ says Austria’s Chancellor
Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) has described an active import ban on Russian natural gas as "unrealistic" at a crisis cabinet meeting in the Federal Ministry of Defence on Tuesday. Austria is trying to diversify its gas imports and create more sustainable energy production. "Unfortunately, that doesn't happen overnight," he told the meeting, broadcaster ORF reports.
READ MORE: Austria's Nehammer to visit Zelensky in Ukraine
Austria does not plan to expel Russian diplomats
Despite many other EU countries expelling Russian diplomats, Austria’s Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg does not want to follow suit. He told the ORF Zib 2 programme that he found it “regrettable” that each state was acting individually, rather than in co-ordination with each other.
He said expelling Russian diplomats would lead to Austrian diplomats being expelled from Russia. However, he said he would “reserve the right to expel diplomats," and criticised the Russian embassy in Vienna as a "propaganda machine." He also said there could be no return to Austria’s previous relationship with Vladimir Putin, stating "We all misjudged him.”
Opposition SPÖ party calls for Austria to do more as inflation hits almost seven percent
The opposition SPÖ leader Pamela Rendi-Wagner criticised the government for allowing benchmark rents on Altbau apartments and buildings to rise, as inflation hits almost seven percent in Austria, at a special meeting of the National Council on Tuesday. She said the rent increases would force inflation even higher.
She argued people were starting to have to choose between eating or heating due to rising energy and food prices, while energy companies made big profits and the Ministry of Finance received VAT revenues on electricity and gas.
The SPÖ leader also criticised the recent warning by Finance Minister Magnus Brunner (ÖVP) that unions had to hold back on wage rounds in order to prevent a spiral of wage savings.
However, Austria’s Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) defended his measures, citing recent cost-of-living packages designed to help people particularly affected by rising energy costs. He also referred to the suspension of the green electricity flat rate, which would relieve all households, broadcaster ORF reports.
50,000 refugees from Ukraine now registered in Austria, including 5,000 schoolchildren
So far around 50,000 refugees from Ukraine are registered in Austria, most of them women and children. Around 5,000 children and young people who have fled Ukraine are now enrolled in the schools.
The largest number of Ukrainian students are in Vienna (around 1,300) and Lower Austria (around 1,400), followed by Styria and Upper Austria (around 500 each), Tyrol (around 400), Carinthia, Salzburg and Burgenland (around 300) and Vorarlberg (around 100), broadcaster ORF reports.
‘Ghost’ cruise ship finally taken away
A river cruise ship in Vienna which was stranded in front of the marina in Döbling for two years after its operator went bankrupt during the Covid-19 pandemic has finally been taken away. The ship left Vienna on Monday evening, broadcaster ORF reports.
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