Today in Austria: A roundup of the latest news on Friday
Prosecutors investigating tabloids publishers, Raiffeisen Bank eyes sale of Russian unit, Austrian Airlines reaches agreement with workers and more news from Austria on Friday.
- Prosecutors investigating ÖVP, Kurz and Heute publishers
Austria's corruption department WKStA is investigating the Dichand publishing family, owners of tabloids Heute and Krone, Der Standard reported. Police raided the publishing house on Wednesday, it added.
The investigations started after confessions made by former Secretary General in the Ministry of Finance Thomas Schmid. They are connected to the "suspicion of a criminally relevant agreement about criminally relevant advertisements" of the Ministry of Finance in two Austrian daily newspapers, Heute and Krone, Der Standard said, citing WKStA documents.
The so-called "Causa Heute" case is an investigation against former Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and eight other persons on suspicion of embezzlement, bribery and corruption. The group is said to have negotiated with Austrian tabloids for favourable coverage for centre-right party ÖVP and Kurz. Schmid, a former ally of Kurz, struck a plea deal with prosecutors.
READ ALSO: Austria’s Sebastian Kurz implicated by former ally in corruption scandal
- EXPLAINED: How entrepreneurs can get Austria‘s ‘Red-White-Red’ card for skilled non-EU workers
Austria’s recently reformed “Red-White-Red” card aims to make it easier for skilled non-EU workers to take up jobs here by awarding points for qualifications and language skills. Almost all applicants, though, require an existing job offer to get one—with one notable exception. Here’s how entrepreneurs can get one.
- Austria's Raiffeisen Bank eyes sale of Russian unit
Austrian banking group Raiffeisen, one of Russia's last major Western lenders, said Thursday it was considering a "sale or spin-off" of its subsidiary in the country.
The RBI Group, which owns the bank, has been under scrutiny over its links to Russia since Moscow invaded Ukraine in February last year.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has singled out Raiffeisenbank for criticism, while the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control requested information about its business in Russia in January.
The RBI Group said Thursday it was looking into "potential transactions which would result in the sale or spin-off of Raiffeisenbank Russia and deconsolidation of Raiffeisenbank Russia from the RBI Group".
It added that it was "committing to further reducing business activity in Russia." The bank warned the decision would lead to "a decline in the income generated by Raiffeisenbank Russia" and impact RBI's customers.
"The RBI Group and its stakeholders are in an unprecedented situation, and we recognise the urgency for action which the war has created," the bank said.
Raiffeisenbank will maintain some banking operations in Russia, where it employs more than 9,000 people, "to meet the conditions of its banking licence and support customers".
READ ALSO: Four ways Austria has changed after one year of war in Ukraine
- Escaped bull shot with an assault rifle in Burgenland
A dramatic police operation occurred Thursday morning in the district of Oberwart in Burgenland. A runaway bull was running around on the B50 road. After the animal ran towards a police officer, the officer shot and killed the bull with his assault rifle.
The bull, weighing around 550 kilograms, was supposed to be loaded onto a truck on Thursday morning and taken to a slaughterhouse. However, the animal managed to jump off the loading ramp and run away.
Around 8:00 a.m., the Bad Tatzmannsdorf Police Inspectorate received a report that the bull was running around on the B50 between Unterschützen and Oberwart.
- Austrian Airlines reaches agreement with cabin crew
Austrian Airlines (AUA) has agreed with the vida trade union on a new collective bargaining agreement (KV) for flight staff, averting the threat of industrial action, which the airline and the Vida trade union announced on Thursday.
With the consensus reached, travel over Easter is secured, said AUA, which has 3500 workers in flying staff. Collectively agreed, actual salaries will be increased by 11 percent retroactively as of March 1st.
"The offer of 8.5 percent on an annual basis in 2023 has now become 11 percent including (tax-free, note) cost-of-living bonus," Daniel Liebhart, chairman of the aviation section in the trade union vida, said in a statement to APA late on Thursday.
"There is no longer any need for another workers' meeting," Liebhart said. "With this negotiation result, we have met the most pressing needs of our flying colleagues at Austrian." As a result, the staff can concentrate on their work again, he added.
BACKGROUND: Austrian Airlines workers threaten strike on Good Friday
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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- Prosecutors investigating ÖVP, Kurz and Heute publishers
Austria's corruption department WKStA is investigating the Dichand publishing family, owners of tabloids Heute and Krone, Der Standard reported. Police raided the publishing house on Wednesday, it added.
The investigations started after confessions made by former Secretary General in the Ministry of Finance Thomas Schmid. They are connected to the "suspicion of a criminally relevant agreement about criminally relevant advertisements" of the Ministry of Finance in two Austrian daily newspapers, Heute and Krone, Der Standard said, citing WKStA documents.
The so-called "Causa Heute" case is an investigation against former Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and eight other persons on suspicion of embezzlement, bribery and corruption. The group is said to have negotiated with Austrian tabloids for favourable coverage for centre-right party ÖVP and Kurz. Schmid, a former ally of Kurz, struck a plea deal with prosecutors.
READ ALSO: Austria’s Sebastian Kurz implicated by former ally in corruption scandal
- EXPLAINED: How entrepreneurs can get Austria‘s ‘Red-White-Red’ card for skilled non-EU workers
Austria’s recently reformed “Red-White-Red” card aims to make it easier for skilled non-EU workers to take up jobs here by awarding points for qualifications and language skills. Almost all applicants, though, require an existing job offer to get one—with one notable exception. Here’s how entrepreneurs can get one.
- Austria's Raiffeisen Bank eyes sale of Russian unit
Austrian banking group Raiffeisen, one of Russia's last major Western lenders, said Thursday it was considering a "sale or spin-off" of its subsidiary in the country.
The RBI Group, which owns the bank, has been under scrutiny over its links to Russia since Moscow invaded Ukraine in February last year.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has singled out Raiffeisenbank for criticism, while the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control requested information about its business in Russia in January.
The RBI Group said Thursday it was looking into "potential transactions which would result in the sale or spin-off of Raiffeisenbank Russia and deconsolidation of Raiffeisenbank Russia from the RBI Group".
It added that it was "committing to further reducing business activity in Russia." The bank warned the decision would lead to "a decline in the income generated by Raiffeisenbank Russia" and impact RBI's customers.
"The RBI Group and its stakeholders are in an unprecedented situation, and we recognise the urgency for action which the war has created," the bank said.
Raiffeisenbank will maintain some banking operations in Russia, where it employs more than 9,000 people, "to meet the conditions of its banking licence and support customers".
READ ALSO: Four ways Austria has changed after one year of war in Ukraine
- Escaped bull shot with an assault rifle in Burgenland
A dramatic police operation occurred Thursday morning in the district of Oberwart in Burgenland. A runaway bull was running around on the B50 road. After the animal ran towards a police officer, the officer shot and killed the bull with his assault rifle.
The bull, weighing around 550 kilograms, was supposed to be loaded onto a truck on Thursday morning and taken to a slaughterhouse. However, the animal managed to jump off the loading ramp and run away.
Around 8:00 a.m., the Bad Tatzmannsdorf Police Inspectorate received a report that the bull was running around on the B50 between Unterschützen and Oberwart.
- Austrian Airlines reaches agreement with cabin crew
Austrian Airlines (AUA) has agreed with the vida trade union on a new collective bargaining agreement (KV) for flight staff, averting the threat of industrial action, which the airline and the Vida trade union announced on Thursday.
With the consensus reached, travel over Easter is secured, said AUA, which has 3500 workers in flying staff. Collectively agreed, actual salaries will be increased by 11 percent retroactively as of March 1st.
"The offer of 8.5 percent on an annual basis in 2023 has now become 11 percent including (tax-free, note) cost-of-living bonus," Daniel Liebhart, chairman of the aviation section in the trade union vida, said in a statement to APA late on Thursday.
"There is no longer any need for another workers' meeting," Liebhart said. "With this negotiation result, we have met the most pressing needs of our flying colleagues at Austrian." As a result, the staff can concentrate on their work again, he added.
BACKGROUND: Austrian Airlines workers threaten strike on Good Friday
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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