Today in Austria: A roundup of the latest news on Wednesday
Taxes on second homes, Austria border patrols, reassurances made about Russian gas supplies and more news from Austria on Wednesday.
Reassurances by Energy Minister over Russian gas supplies to Austria
Austria’s Energy Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) has made assurances that natural gas is still being supplied to Austria by Russia, after the country cut off gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria. Speaking to the Ö1 morning journal programme, she said the main supply routes were operating “without restrictions", and said there were no signs that Russia planned to stop gas to Austria. Austria uses different supply routes (via Nord Stream and Ukraine) to Bulgaria and Poland, which uses the Yamal pipeline, she said.
However, she also warned that Austria must end its dependence on Russian gas as quickly as possible. "Vladimir Putin also wages war with energy supplies", she said.
Austria is one of the most dependent countries in the EU on Russian gas supplies.
READ MORE: EXPLAINED: How reliant is Austria on Russia for energy?
Styria passes law allowing taxes on second homes and empty properties
The Styrian state parliament has passed a controversial levy on second homes and vacant homes with the votes of the ÖVP, SPÖ and Greens. The new law means that anyone with a second home or a property lying empty in Styria will have to pay up to ten euros per square metre per year in the future. Erwin Dirnberger, President of the Association of Municipalities and MP for the ÖVP, said the levy was “important and justified” and said the aim of this levy meant that existing living space would be put to use before new homes were built, broadcaster ORF reports. It will be up to the municipalities to decide if they want to introduce the tax.
Network of forgotten tunnels runs under Vienna
There is a huge network of tunnels connecting up to 30 vaults and "bomb-proof" bunkers up to four floors below the pavements of Vienna. The Krone newspaper reports some of these forgotten bunkers date from World War II, while others are much older, and have existed for 2000 years. According to the newspaper, some vaults are up to four or five metres high. Servus TV is due to screen a TV programme on this secret underground network on Wednesday (April 27) at 18:05.
A compensation fund for victims of Nazis in Austria has finally been closed
A fund designed for victims of National Socialism in Austria has finally been dissolved, having paid out a total of around 215 million US dollars to around 25,000 people. The fund, based in Vienna, had fulfilled its tasks in full, according to a press release.
The Compensation Fund for Victims of National Socialism was set up in 2001 following the Washington Agreement between Austria and the United States of America. The fund acknowledged moral responsibility for loss of property suffered by victims of the Nazi party in Austria. People who had been personally affected by the Nazis confiscating their families’ assets were entitled to apply.
Border controls in Austria come under scrutiny
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled that Austrian border controls introduced during the refugee crisis in 2015 may not be compatible with Union law, specifically with the Schengen Borders Code and the right of free movement for EU citizens. According to the judgment issued on Tuesday, Austria needed to have demonstrated that there was a serious threat to its public order in order to keep extending the border controls for more than two years, broadcaster ORF reports.
ORF said that as the ECJ ruled, an EU country in the Schengen area may only introduce such controls for a maximum of six months in the event of a serious threat to its public order or internal security. After that, proof of a new serious threat is needed. Austria does not seem to have proven this since 2017, the court found.
Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) emphasized that Austria would continue to rely on border controls "if necessary", saying Austria is the second most country in Europe affected per capita by illegal immigration.The Provincial Administrative Court of Styria must now examine the judgement of the ECJ before proceeding
A case was brought to court after an EU citizen refused to present a document at the Slovenian-Austrian border when entering Austria in August and November 2019. This resulted in a fine of 36 euros.
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Reassurances by Energy Minister over Russian gas supplies to Austria
Austria’s Energy Minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) has made assurances that natural gas is still being supplied to Austria by Russia, after the country cut off gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria. Speaking to the Ö1 morning journal programme, she said the main supply routes were operating “without restrictions", and said there were no signs that Russia planned to stop gas to Austria. Austria uses different supply routes (via Nord Stream and Ukraine) to Bulgaria and Poland, which uses the Yamal pipeline, she said.
However, she also warned that Austria must end its dependence on Russian gas as quickly as possible. "Vladimir Putin also wages war with energy supplies", she said.
Austria is one of the most dependent countries in the EU on Russian gas supplies.
READ MORE: EXPLAINED: How reliant is Austria on Russia for energy?
Styria passes law allowing taxes on second homes and empty properties
The Styrian state parliament has passed a controversial levy on second homes and vacant homes with the votes of the ÖVP, SPÖ and Greens. The new law means that anyone with a second home or a property lying empty in Styria will have to pay up to ten euros per square metre per year in the future. Erwin Dirnberger, President of the Association of Municipalities and MP for the ÖVP, said the levy was “important and justified” and said the aim of this levy meant that existing living space would be put to use before new homes were built, broadcaster ORF reports. It will be up to the municipalities to decide if they want to introduce the tax.
Network of forgotten tunnels runs under Vienna
There is a huge network of tunnels connecting up to 30 vaults and "bomb-proof" bunkers up to four floors below the pavements of Vienna. The Krone newspaper reports some of these forgotten bunkers date from World War II, while others are much older, and have existed for 2000 years. According to the newspaper, some vaults are up to four or five metres high. Servus TV is due to screen a TV programme on this secret underground network on Wednesday (April 27) at 18:05.
A compensation fund for victims of Nazis in Austria has finally been closed
A fund designed for victims of National Socialism in Austria has finally been dissolved, having paid out a total of around 215 million US dollars to around 25,000 people. The fund, based in Vienna, had fulfilled its tasks in full, according to a press release.
The Compensation Fund for Victims of National Socialism was set up in 2001 following the Washington Agreement between Austria and the United States of America. The fund acknowledged moral responsibility for loss of property suffered by victims of the Nazi party in Austria. People who had been personally affected by the Nazis confiscating their families’ assets were entitled to apply.
Border controls in Austria come under scrutiny
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled that Austrian border controls introduced during the refugee crisis in 2015 may not be compatible with Union law, specifically with the Schengen Borders Code and the right of free movement for EU citizens. According to the judgment issued on Tuesday, Austria needed to have demonstrated that there was a serious threat to its public order in order to keep extending the border controls for more than two years, broadcaster ORF reports.
ORF said that as the ECJ ruled, an EU country in the Schengen area may only introduce such controls for a maximum of six months in the event of a serious threat to its public order or internal security. After that, proof of a new serious threat is needed. Austria does not seem to have proven this since 2017, the court found.
Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) emphasized that Austria would continue to rely on border controls "if necessary", saying Austria is the second most country in Europe affected per capita by illegal immigration.The Provincial Administrative Court of Styria must now examine the judgement of the ECJ before proceeding
A case was brought to court after an EU citizen refused to present a document at the Slovenian-Austrian border when entering Austria in August and November 2019. This resulted in a fine of 36 euros.
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