Today in Austria: A roundup of the latest news on Friday
Outrage after far-right's racist statements, Austria under pressure to bar Russia from OSCE meeting, start of holiday break and more news from Austria on Friday.
- Outrage after far-right's racist statements
Following the racist statements made by Gottfried Waldhäusl (FPÖ), Lower Austria's provincial councillor for asylum, on Puls 4, the public prosecutor's office will soon also deal with the case, the newspaper Der Standard reported.
The law firm of lawyer Wilfried Embacher, which is known for asylum cases, wants to file charges on behalf of affected persons. Embacher said that the politician's statements were not only racist but constituted "incitement to hatred".
Waldhäusl had insinuated in a debate program on Tuesday evening that Vienna would be better off if students with a migration background had not come to Austria in the first place.
"Wenn Sie Ihre Maßnahmen schon vor Jahren durchgeführt hätten, würde die Hälfte dieser Klasse das Gymnasium in Wien heute nicht besuchen. Was sagen Sie dazu?", fragt eine Schülerin bei #procontra Gottfried Waldhäusl von der FPÖ. Seine Antwort: "Dann wäre Wien noch Wien." #PULS24 pic.twitter.com/1qDAtdW8cy
— PULS 24 (@puls24news) February 1, 2023
In response to the student's statement that her class would not exist today if Waldhäusl had already implemented his propagated measures a few years ago, namely closing the EU's external borders, Waldhäusl replied with the words: "Then Vienna would still be Vienna". Despite public criticism, he later reiterated his stance.
It is worth pointing out that Vienna has been a diverse city of immigrants for centuries. At least since the 1800s, the percentage of foreign-born people living in the Austrian capital has mainly remained the same, according to a separate Der Standard report.
READ ALSO: What measures against foreigners is Austria’s far-right trying to take?
- When will I receive my delayed €500 Klimabonus payment in Austria?
The Austrian government has started sending out the final €500 payments for its anti-inflation and climate bonus 2022. This is what you need to know.
- Austria under pressure to bar Russia from OSCE meeting
Parliamentarians of 20 countries have urged Austria to bar Russian delegates from a gathering of the world's largest security body later this month in a letter seen by AFP on Thursday.
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)'s parliamentary assembly will be held in Vienna on February 23-24, the first anniversary of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
Members of national parliaments in 15 EU nations, alongside Canada, Georgia, Iceland, the UK and Ukraine, have objected to Russia's participation at the meeting, urging Austria to prohibit their delegation's entry.
Austria -- where the OSCE and numerous other international organisations are based -- is "obliged under international law to grant entry to the delegates of all OSCE participating states," a foreign ministry spokeswoman told AFP.
READ ALSO: UPDATED: How reliant is Austria on Russia for energy?
- Start of holiday break comes with traffic jams and snow
The start of the semester break in Lower Austria and Vienna is likely to cause long waiting times on the roads, broadcaster ORF reported.
Especially on the Westautobahn (A1), motorists probably have to expect delays - many Viennese and Lower Austrians will drive via the Westautobahn to the ski resorts in Salzburg and Tyrol, according to the Ö3 traffic service.
Plenty of snow in the Alps will also attract numerous day visitors to the ski resorts - and ensure wintry skiing conditions. However, winter sports enthusiasts are urged to exercise the utmost caution in open ski terrain, as the avalanche danger is increasing: up to one and a half metres of fresh snow is expected on the mountains of the Salzkammergut region, for example.
READ ALSO: Where are the best places to go skiing in Austria?
- One-third of workers in Vienna are immigrants
Vienna would look very different without immigrants, as more than 40 percent of its residents have foreign origins. The labour market would look notably different, especially in specific sectors, such as accommodation and catering, and construction.
"Factual information is always good", tweeted the Managing Director of Public Employment Service Austria (AMS). He added a spreadsheet showing the presence of foreign nationals in the Viennese workforce. One-third of all employed persons do not have Austrian citizenship.
The share of foreigners in the employed workforce is exceptionally high in the accommodation and catering (62 percent) and construction (57 percent) sectors.
Sachinformation ist immer gut. Diesmal zur kuriosen Frage "Wien ohne ausländische Staatsangehörige"
1/3 aller Beschäftigten in Wien hat eine ausländische Staatsangehörigkeit. Die Branchenverteilung macht die Absurdität der Überlegung noch deutlicher. pic.twitter.com/8f1TxNw791
— Johannes Kopf (@JohannesKopf) February 1, 2023
According to the Institute for Advanced Studies (IHS), international skilled workers significantly contribute to domestic value creation. Almost €40 billion, or ten percent of economic output, is generated by workers without Austrian citizenship.
According to the Vienna Chamber of Labor and the Sora Research Institute, almost half (46 percent) of system-relevant professions such as professional drivers, delivery workers, nurses, public safety officers and many others in Vienna are performed by persons with foreign citizenship.
READ ALSO: Diversity and jobs: How migrants contribute to Vienna’s economy
- Weather
Screenshot from ZAMG
If you have any questions about life in Austria, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected].
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- Outrage after far-right's racist statements
Following the racist statements made by Gottfried Waldhäusl (FPÖ), Lower Austria's provincial councillor for asylum, on Puls 4, the public prosecutor's office will soon also deal with the case, the newspaper Der Standard reported.
The law firm of lawyer Wilfried Embacher, which is known for asylum cases, wants to file charges on behalf of affected persons. Embacher said that the politician's statements were not only racist but constituted "incitement to hatred".
Waldhäusl had insinuated in a debate program on Tuesday evening that Vienna would be better off if students with a migration background had not come to Austria in the first place.
"Wenn Sie Ihre Maßnahmen schon vor Jahren durchgeführt hätten, würde die Hälfte dieser Klasse das Gymnasium in Wien heute nicht besuchen. Was sagen Sie dazu?", fragt eine Schülerin bei #procontra Gottfried Waldhäusl von der FPÖ. Seine Antwort: "Dann wäre Wien noch Wien." #PULS24 pic.twitter.com/1qDAtdW8cy
— PULS 24 (@puls24news) February 1, 2023
In response to the student's statement that her class would not exist today if Waldhäusl had already implemented his propagated measures a few years ago, namely closing the EU's external borders, Waldhäusl replied with the words: "Then Vienna would still be Vienna". Despite public criticism, he later reiterated his stance.
It is worth pointing out that Vienna has been a diverse city of immigrants for centuries. At least since the 1800s, the percentage of foreign-born people living in the Austrian capital has mainly remained the same, according to a separate Der Standard report.
READ ALSO: What measures against foreigners is Austria’s far-right trying to take?
- When will I receive my delayed €500 Klimabonus payment in Austria?
The Austrian government has started sending out the final €500 payments for its anti-inflation and climate bonus 2022. This is what you need to know.
- Austria under pressure to bar Russia from OSCE meeting
Parliamentarians of 20 countries have urged Austria to bar Russian delegates from a gathering of the world's largest security body later this month in a letter seen by AFP on Thursday.
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)'s parliamentary assembly will be held in Vienna on February 23-24, the first anniversary of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
Members of national parliaments in 15 EU nations, alongside Canada, Georgia, Iceland, the UK and Ukraine, have objected to Russia's participation at the meeting, urging Austria to prohibit their delegation's entry.
Austria -- where the OSCE and numerous other international organisations are based -- is "obliged under international law to grant entry to the delegates of all OSCE participating states," a foreign ministry spokeswoman told AFP.
READ ALSO: UPDATED: How reliant is Austria on Russia for energy?
- Start of holiday break comes with traffic jams and snow
The start of the semester break in Lower Austria and Vienna is likely to cause long waiting times on the roads, broadcaster ORF reported.
Especially on the Westautobahn (A1), motorists probably have to expect delays - many Viennese and Lower Austrians will drive via the Westautobahn to the ski resorts in Salzburg and Tyrol, according to the Ö3 traffic service.
Plenty of snow in the Alps will also attract numerous day visitors to the ski resorts - and ensure wintry skiing conditions. However, winter sports enthusiasts are urged to exercise the utmost caution in open ski terrain, as the avalanche danger is increasing: up to one and a half metres of fresh snow is expected on the mountains of the Salzkammergut region, for example.
READ ALSO: Where are the best places to go skiing in Austria?
- One-third of workers in Vienna are immigrants
Vienna would look very different without immigrants, as more than 40 percent of its residents have foreign origins. The labour market would look notably different, especially in specific sectors, such as accommodation and catering, and construction.
"Factual information is always good", tweeted the Managing Director of Public Employment Service Austria (AMS). He added a spreadsheet showing the presence of foreign nationals in the Viennese workforce. One-third of all employed persons do not have Austrian citizenship.
The share of foreigners in the employed workforce is exceptionally high in the accommodation and catering (62 percent) and construction (57 percent) sectors.
Sachinformation ist immer gut. Diesmal zur kuriosen Frage "Wien ohne ausländische Staatsangehörige"
— Johannes Kopf (@JohannesKopf) February 1, 2023
1/3 aller Beschäftigten in Wien hat eine ausländische Staatsangehörigkeit. Die Branchenverteilung macht die Absurdität der Überlegung noch deutlicher. pic.twitter.com/8f1TxNw791
According to the Institute for Advanced Studies (IHS), international skilled workers significantly contribute to domestic value creation. Almost €40 billion, or ten percent of economic output, is generated by workers without Austrian citizenship.
According to the Vienna Chamber of Labor and the Sora Research Institute, almost half (46 percent) of system-relevant professions such as professional drivers, delivery workers, nurses, public safety officers and many others in Vienna are performed by persons with foreign citizenship.
READ ALSO: Diversity and jobs: How migrants contribute to Vienna’s economy
- Weather
If you have any questions about life in Austria, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected].
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