Today in Austria: A roundup of the latest news on Monday
Eight dead in weekend avalanches, Prices for household energy down, Rents set to rise again and more news from Austria on Monday.
- Eight dead in weekend avalanches in Austria
Austrian police said Sunday that five people had been killed in avalanches in the west of the country after three deaths were reported Saturday despite pleas for caution on ski slopes.
The eight deaths came as resorts were filled during the February school holidays in Vienna, with the avalanche alert level at four on a scale of five after several days of intense snowfall and wind.
Over the past two days, heavy snowfall and wind have increased the avalanche danger, with officials warning winter sports enthusiasts to exercise caution.
READ ALSO: Eight dead in weekend avalanches in Austria
- The Vienna museums you can go to for free
Vienna is lucky to have a plethora of museums and happily, it doesn't always have to cost a fortune to dive into some culture. Many are free to enter on the first Sunday of each month, some are free to children under 19, and others are free for everyone all year round. Find out when and where to go without having to fork out a cent.
- Prices for household energy down 11 percent in December
Household energy prices fell for the second month in a row in December. The Energy Price Index (EPI) calculated by the Energy Agency fell by 10.9 percent compared with the previous month of November, the largest monthly decline since records began in 2000 due to lower prices for fuel, heating oil and electricity.
Year-on-year, however, prices were still 26.7 percent higher and thus remained at an extremely high level.
One reason for the price drop is the entry into force of the electricity cost brake. This automatically caps the electricity price (net energy price) at 10 cents per kWh for all households up to a consumption of 2,900 kilowatt hours (kWh), with the state subsidising the difference.
"However, existing price guarantees expired in December 2022 and some energy suppliers have already implemented price increases for January as part of their regular price adjustments.
"In addition, the new, significantly increased grid loss charges have come into force. All in all, the effect of the electricity cost brake will thus be overshadowed, at least in the short term," said Franz Angerer, Managing Director of the Austrian Energy Agency.
READ ALSO: How could Austria’s new electricity price brake benefit you?
- Rents set to rise again in Austria
The Chamber of Labor (AK) warned on Sunday of further rent increases and wants to abolish fixed-term leases by large landlords, the newspaper Der Standard reported.
Meanwhile, the centre-left party SPÖ saw itself strengthened by the German Greens, who called for state intervention in index rents given the sharp rise in the cost of living in the neighbouring country.
The Social Democrats then reiterated their demand to the ÖVP-Green government for a freeze on rents until 2025. Already in 2022, benchmark rents had risen by almost six percent.
READ ALSO: Renting in Austria: When can my landlord increase the rent, and by how much?
- Horror and criticism after right-wing extremist action in front of high school
At the Viennese high school in the tenth district, which recently became known for a racist - and historically bizarre - statement by Lower Austrian FPÖ politician Gottfried Waldhäusl, Friday was different than usual.
Over the night, right-wing extremists had attacked the school building and had attached a racist banner, reiterating Waldhäusl's statements, to the school building.
"The right-wing extremist Identitarians have now shown that they do not shy away from intimidating children", said Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP). Austrian authorities are investigating the case.
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.
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”.
READ ALSO: What measures against foreigners is Austria’s far-right trying to take?
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].
Comments
See Also
- Eight dead in weekend avalanches in Austria
Austrian police said Sunday that five people had been killed in avalanches in the west of the country after three deaths were reported Saturday despite pleas for caution on ski slopes.
The eight deaths came as resorts were filled during the February school holidays in Vienna, with the avalanche alert level at four on a scale of five after several days of intense snowfall and wind.
Over the past two days, heavy snowfall and wind have increased the avalanche danger, with officials warning winter sports enthusiasts to exercise caution.
READ ALSO: Eight dead in weekend avalanches in Austria
- The Vienna museums you can go to for free
Vienna is lucky to have a plethora of museums and happily, it doesn't always have to cost a fortune to dive into some culture. Many are free to enter on the first Sunday of each month, some are free to children under 19, and others are free for everyone all year round. Find out when and where to go without having to fork out a cent.
- Prices for household energy down 11 percent in December
Household energy prices fell for the second month in a row in December. The Energy Price Index (EPI) calculated by the Energy Agency fell by 10.9 percent compared with the previous month of November, the largest monthly decline since records began in 2000 due to lower prices for fuel, heating oil and electricity.
Year-on-year, however, prices were still 26.7 percent higher and thus remained at an extremely high level.
One reason for the price drop is the entry into force of the electricity cost brake. This automatically caps the electricity price (net energy price) at 10 cents per kWh for all households up to a consumption of 2,900 kilowatt hours (kWh), with the state subsidising the difference.
"However, existing price guarantees expired in December 2022 and some energy suppliers have already implemented price increases for January as part of their regular price adjustments.
"In addition, the new, significantly increased grid loss charges have come into force. All in all, the effect of the electricity cost brake will thus be overshadowed, at least in the short term," said Franz Angerer, Managing Director of the Austrian Energy Agency.
READ ALSO: How could Austria’s new electricity price brake benefit you?
- Rents set to rise again in Austria
The Chamber of Labor (AK) warned on Sunday of further rent increases and wants to abolish fixed-term leases by large landlords, the newspaper Der Standard reported.
Meanwhile, the centre-left party SPÖ saw itself strengthened by the German Greens, who called for state intervention in index rents given the sharp rise in the cost of living in the neighbouring country.
The Social Democrats then reiterated their demand to the ÖVP-Green government for a freeze on rents until 2025. Already in 2022, benchmark rents had risen by almost six percent.
READ ALSO: Renting in Austria: When can my landlord increase the rent, and by how much?
- Horror and criticism after right-wing extremist action in front of high school
At the Viennese high school in the tenth district, which recently became known for a racist - and historically bizarre - statement by Lower Austrian FPÖ politician Gottfried Waldhäusl, Friday was different than usual.
Over the night, right-wing extremists had attacked the school building and had attached a racist banner, reiterating Waldhäusl's statements, to the school building.
"The right-wing extremist Identitarians have now shown that they do not shy away from intimidating children", said Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP). Austrian authorities are investigating the case.
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.
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”.
READ ALSO: What measures against foreigners is Austria’s far-right trying to take?
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].
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.