Today in Austria: A roundup of the latest news on Tuesday
The opposition wants a motion of no confidence; video shows a case of police violence, ÖBB to increase ticket prices and more news from Austria on Tuesday
- Rendi-Wagner wants a motion of no confidence against the entire government this week
Centre-left SPÖ leader Pamela Rendi-Wagner is currently facing a crucial battle to retain her position.
Party members have a deadline of Wednesday to cast their votes for the party chairmanship. Alongside Rendi-Wagner, Hans Peter Doskozil, the regional leader of Burgenland, and Andreas Babler, the mayor of Traiskirchen, are vying for the top position within the federal opposition party.
In a recent assertive move on Monday, Rendi-Wagner expressed her dissatisfaction with the federal government and its policies to fight rising inflation, stating, "The government fails to grasp the gravity of the situation. It is evident that more and more Austrians are struggling to make ends meet, yet no action is being taken."
Rendi-Wagner voiced her concerns, stressing that the current circumstances cannot persist and urgent measures to address pricing issues are required.
The party leader intends to request a special session where she plans to propose a motion of no confidence against the entire federal government. She emphasised the urgency, stating, "Time is running out."
Rendi-Wagner criticised the government's inability to address the soaring inflation in Austria effectively, "The government is failing to implement crucial price-reduction measures to combat the unprecedented inflation", she said.
READ ALSO: Austrian elections: Who will be the Social Democratic Party’s chancellor candidate?
- 7 of the most beautiful castles to visit in Austria this spring
With over 1,000 castles and palaces in Austria, deciding which ones to visit can be challenging. Here are our top seven picks.
- Far-right also announced a no-confidence motion
In response to what they perceive as a failed summit at the Ministry of Social Affairs to find measures to curb inflation, the FPÖ has seized the opportunity to announce a motion of no confidence in the government. The move follows a similar announcement by the SPÖ earlier on Monday.
According to FPÖ parliamentary party chairman Herbert Kickl, the governing parties consistently rejected FPÖ's proposed measures, such as reducing or eliminating the value-added tax on essential food items.
"Given this situation, there is only one course of action: this government must step down! Therefore, we will introduce a motion of no confidence against the entire government in the upcoming National Council session for their failure to assist the Austrian population," Kickl said in a press statement.
READ ALSO: Five things that will get more expensive in Austria in May
- Video shows a case of police violence in Vienna
A recent incident of police violence in Vienna has sparked controversy. A video captured by a Puls24 cameraman shows officers repeatedly hitting a man's head on the ground during his arrest.
The incident took place in Simmering during the filming of a homicide case on Sunday. The 19-year-old man was temporarily detained and faced multiple charges. The video footage was secured and sent to the appropriate authorities for investigation, as stated in a police statement provided to the ORF broadcaster.
According to the provincial police directorate, the young man attempted to enter a restricted area where a 38-year-old Iranian man had been shot on Simmeringer Hauptstraße. Puls24 reported that there was no visible cordon. The 19-year-old was allegedly trying to withdraw money from an ATM located on the opposite side of the crime scene, leading to a confrontation with an officer.
In the video, the man is seen being brought to the ground, with additional officers rushing to assist. The 19-year-old was restrained on the ground, and the footage shows a policeman striking his head multiple times on the stone floor, which caused some bleeding.
READ ALSO: What happens when a foreign national gets arrested in Austria?
- ÖBB to increase ticket prices in June
Starting from June 11th, 2023, train travel in Austria will see an increase in prices, as announced by Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB). The ticket prices for both first and second class will be raised by 5.8 percent, as stated in a press release.
The dynamic pricing system, which offers cheaper tickets for earlier purchases, will continue to be implemented. The next price adjustment is not expected until summer 2024, at the earliest.
ÖBB justified the price increase as a response to cost pressures and said the increase is still below the inflation rate.
READ ALSO: The ten best destinations by direct night train from Austria
- Hikers report a bear sighting in Pinzgau
On Sunday, hikers in Pinzgau reported a bear sighting to the police. The two hikers claimed to have seen the bear in Fusch an der Glocknerstraße at an altitude of approximately 1,700 meters.
Although they did not take any photos, they were able to observe the bear from a distance of up to 100 meters and promptly reported the incident to the authorities. Experts from the district administration believe that this bear sighting might be connected to the bear tracks reported in Glemmtal a week earlier.
Although encounters with humans are not typical or expected, hikers need to remain calm and slowly retreat if they come across a bear. In the unlikely event of an attack, experts recommend lying on the ground with the stomach down, hands clasped behind the head, and playing dead, as bears generally retreat in such situations, according to an ORF report.
Nonetheless, the chances of the bear displaying aggressive behaviour during an encounter are extremely low, according to Hubert Stock, the wolf and bear officer of the province of Salzburg.
READ ALSO: Reader question: Are there wild bears in Austria?
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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- Rendi-Wagner wants a motion of no confidence against the entire government this week
Centre-left SPÖ leader Pamela Rendi-Wagner is currently facing a crucial battle to retain her position.
Party members have a deadline of Wednesday to cast their votes for the party chairmanship. Alongside Rendi-Wagner, Hans Peter Doskozil, the regional leader of Burgenland, and Andreas Babler, the mayor of Traiskirchen, are vying for the top position within the federal opposition party.
In a recent assertive move on Monday, Rendi-Wagner expressed her dissatisfaction with the federal government and its policies to fight rising inflation, stating, "The government fails to grasp the gravity of the situation. It is evident that more and more Austrians are struggling to make ends meet, yet no action is being taken."
Rendi-Wagner voiced her concerns, stressing that the current circumstances cannot persist and urgent measures to address pricing issues are required.
The party leader intends to request a special session where she plans to propose a motion of no confidence against the entire federal government. She emphasised the urgency, stating, "Time is running out."
Rendi-Wagner criticised the government's inability to address the soaring inflation in Austria effectively, "The government is failing to implement crucial price-reduction measures to combat the unprecedented inflation", she said.
READ ALSO: Austrian elections: Who will be the Social Democratic Party’s chancellor candidate?
- 7 of the most beautiful castles to visit in Austria this spring
With over 1,000 castles and palaces in Austria, deciding which ones to visit can be challenging. Here are our top seven picks.
- Far-right also announced a no-confidence motion
In response to what they perceive as a failed summit at the Ministry of Social Affairs to find measures to curb inflation, the FPÖ has seized the opportunity to announce a motion of no confidence in the government. The move follows a similar announcement by the SPÖ earlier on Monday.
According to FPÖ parliamentary party chairman Herbert Kickl, the governing parties consistently rejected FPÖ's proposed measures, such as reducing or eliminating the value-added tax on essential food items.
"Given this situation, there is only one course of action: this government must step down! Therefore, we will introduce a motion of no confidence against the entire government in the upcoming National Council session for their failure to assist the Austrian population," Kickl said in a press statement.
READ ALSO: Five things that will get more expensive in Austria in May
- Video shows a case of police violence in Vienna
A recent incident of police violence in Vienna has sparked controversy. A video captured by a Puls24 cameraman shows officers repeatedly hitting a man's head on the ground during his arrest.
The incident took place in Simmering during the filming of a homicide case on Sunday. The 19-year-old man was temporarily detained and faced multiple charges. The video footage was secured and sent to the appropriate authorities for investigation, as stated in a police statement provided to the ORF broadcaster.
According to the provincial police directorate, the young man attempted to enter a restricted area where a 38-year-old Iranian man had been shot on Simmeringer Hauptstraße. Puls24 reported that there was no visible cordon. The 19-year-old was allegedly trying to withdraw money from an ATM located on the opposite side of the crime scene, leading to a confrontation with an officer.
In the video, the man is seen being brought to the ground, with additional officers rushing to assist. The 19-year-old was restrained on the ground, and the footage shows a policeman striking his head multiple times on the stone floor, which caused some bleeding.
READ ALSO: What happens when a foreign national gets arrested in Austria?
- ÖBB to increase ticket prices in June
Starting from June 11th, 2023, train travel in Austria will see an increase in prices, as announced by Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB). The ticket prices for both first and second class will be raised by 5.8 percent, as stated in a press release.
The dynamic pricing system, which offers cheaper tickets for earlier purchases, will continue to be implemented. The next price adjustment is not expected until summer 2024, at the earliest.
ÖBB justified the price increase as a response to cost pressures and said the increase is still below the inflation rate.
READ ALSO: The ten best destinations by direct night train from Austria
- Hikers report a bear sighting in Pinzgau
On Sunday, hikers in Pinzgau reported a bear sighting to the police. The two hikers claimed to have seen the bear in Fusch an der Glocknerstraße at an altitude of approximately 1,700 meters.
Although they did not take any photos, they were able to observe the bear from a distance of up to 100 meters and promptly reported the incident to the authorities. Experts from the district administration believe that this bear sighting might be connected to the bear tracks reported in Glemmtal a week earlier.
Although encounters with humans are not typical or expected, hikers need to remain calm and slowly retreat if they come across a bear. In the unlikely event of an attack, experts recommend lying on the ground with the stomach down, hands clasped behind the head, and playing dead, as bears generally retreat in such situations, according to an ORF report.
Nonetheless, the chances of the bear displaying aggressive behaviour during an encounter are extremely low, according to Hubert Stock, the wolf and bear officer of the province of Salzburg.
READ ALSO: Reader question: Are there wild bears in Austria?
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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