Today in Austria: A roundup of the latest news on Friday
The medical association calls for free masks and tests, Switzerland wants to renegotiate the migration deal with Austria, David Alaba is again Austria's best footballer, and there will be more news from Austria on Friday.
Medical association calls for free masks and tests
The Vienna Medical Association has issued a call to distribute free FFP2 masks to the public amidst the ongoing surge in COVID-19 cases. The association also said there is a pressing need for free at-home tests.
Naghme Kamaleyan-Schmied, the Vice President of the Vienna Medical Association, emphasised the urgent requirement for free FFP2 masks and the reintroduction of a limited number of no-cost antigen tests for at-home use to ensure responsible handling of the holidays.
Kamaleyan-Schmied urged the Ministry of Health to ensure an ample supply of influenza vaccines and essential medicines, including a guaranteed COVID-19 medicine Paxlovid.
General practitioner Kambiz Modarressy, speaking to "Wien heute," highlighted the current surge in infectious diseases, noting an unprecedented volume of sick individuals, predominantly affected by flu-like infections, COVID-19 cases, and some gastrointestinal infections.
Modarressy specified that approximately 60 percent of patients in his practice present with various infections, with ten percent testing positive for coronavirus. He anticipates a significant influenza wave, likely hitting Vienna mid to late January.
The impact of this infection surge extends to Viennese pharmacies. Johann Strauss pharmacy in Vienna-Wieden, for instance, reports selling around 100 Covid tests weekly, according to an ORF report. Pharmacist Manuel Wendl attributes the heightened demand to the impending holiday season, noting increased interest in masks and medications for various infections, including the COVID-19 drug Paxlovid.
Free CoV tests are accessible through family doctors if there are suspected infections, typically rapid antigen tests. Furthermore, many pharmacies provide antigen and PCR tests as a private service. PCR tests are available in various laboratories, such as Verbund Ihr Labor or Trinicum, where rinse tests for home use, similar to the previous "Alles gurgelt" tests, are also offered.
READ ALSO: How can I get a Covid or flu vaccine in Austria this autumn?
The five best hidden ski resorts in Austria
The skiing season has started, and people worldwide are travelling to some of Austria's hot spot locations. If you are looking for a resort where you have more space on the slopes and can experience more stunning nature untouched, we have some recommendations.
Austrian national convicted in UK over Iran TV 'terror plot'
An Austrian national was found guilty at a UK court Wednesday of spying for a group that may have been preparing to attack an independent Iranian TV station in London.
Magomed-Husejn Dovtaev, originally from Chechnya, was convicted by a jury at the Old Bailey court in central London following a short trial.
The 31-year-old had pled not guilty to possession of records containing information likely to be helpful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.
Counter-terrorism officers detained him in west London on February 11th.
Prosecutors told his trial that Dovtaev boarded a plane from Vienna to London to gather "hostile reconnaissance" on a building occupied by the Persian-language channel Iran International.
The channel's journalists had reported on alleged human rights violations in the country.
READ ALSO: What does Austria’s raised terror alert mean for the public?
Switzerland wants to renegotiate migration deal with Austria
The Swiss parliament has directed the government to initiate a renegotiation of the agreement with Austria concerning the return of irregular migrants, according to a Die Presse report.
Swiss Justice Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider, addressing the Council of States, tempered expectations about swift negotiations with Vienna. She cited Austria's overstretched asylum infrastructure, deeming any revisions to current agreements a low priority. Furthermore, Baume-Schneider noted a noticeable decline in arrivals at Switzerland's eastern border.
According to the Vienna Ministry of the Interior, returns to Austria have been minimal this year, affecting approximately 30 individuals.
Austria's Ministry of the Interior indicated that Bern primarily aims to modify "technical aspects," such as handover procedures or authority responsibilities. In response to the potential renegotiation, Vienna mentioned maintaining a "constructive, regular exchange with the Swiss authorities."
Last autumn, Interior Minister Gerhard Karner and Federal Councillor Karin Keller-Sutter devised an action plan to counter irregular migration in Zurich.
This plan encompassed cross-border searches, joint operations against smugglers, and coordinated inspections of rail traffic, including the Vienna-Zurich night train, where refugees from Afghanistan were apprehended with intentions to transit through Switzerland to countries like the UK and France.
READ ALSO: Austria introduces Czech border checks to curb migration
David Alaba is once again Austria's best footballer
David Alaba has been named Austria's footballer of the year for the tenth time, Austrian media reported.
The Austrian national team captain and Real Madrid professional secured the top spot in the poll conducted by the APA, receiving 53 points from the coaches of the twelve Bundesliga clubs. He surpassed Konrad Laimer (FC Bayern/13), Christoph Baumgartner, and Nicolas Seiwald (both RB Leipzig/7 each) in the rankings.
This latest accolade marks Alaba's fourth consecutive triumph and solidifies his status as the record holder with ten Footballer of the Year awards, surpassing Ivica Vastic (4) and Herbert Prohaska (3).
In an interview conducted with APA, Alaba expressed his gratitude, stating, "This is a huge honour. Something that always makes me really proud and makes me very happy. Ten times, that's something special again, and I'm incredibly grateful."
Investigation proceedings initiated against Salzburg FPÖ mandatary
The Salzburg public prosecutor's office has launched an investigation against Dominic Maier, a member of the Salzburg state parliament from the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ), on suspicion of incitement to hatred.
Following the lifting of his immunity by the state parliament, formal proceedings have been initiated, as stated by public prosecutor's office spokesperson Elena Haslinger in response to an APA inquiry on Thursday, Der Standard reported.
The investigation stems from a video posted by the FPÖ politician on TikTok and Instagram after a contentious campaign by climate activists in Salzburg on March 6th, 2023. In the video, Maier referred to the activists as "Eco-terrorists, barricade builders, and car igniters" – a phrase he also used in a press release a few days earlier. His statement addressed vandalism concerns after young people in the city created markings on the ground using stencils and spray cans to advocate for a "climate strike".
Before the start of investigative proceedings, the case underwent scrutiny by the Council of Instructions in the Ministry of Justice. The ministry endorsed the public prosecutor's plan, highlighting that the accused statements will likely depict climate activists negatively, incite hatred against them, and"disparage this group of people in the public eye".
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: How does Austria’s Klimaticket work?
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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Medical association calls for free masks and tests
The Vienna Medical Association has issued a call to distribute free FFP2 masks to the public amidst the ongoing surge in COVID-19 cases. The association also said there is a pressing need for free at-home tests.
Naghme Kamaleyan-Schmied, the Vice President of the Vienna Medical Association, emphasised the urgent requirement for free FFP2 masks and the reintroduction of a limited number of no-cost antigen tests for at-home use to ensure responsible handling of the holidays.
Kamaleyan-Schmied urged the Ministry of Health to ensure an ample supply of influenza vaccines and essential medicines, including a guaranteed COVID-19 medicine Paxlovid.
General practitioner Kambiz Modarressy, speaking to "Wien heute," highlighted the current surge in infectious diseases, noting an unprecedented volume of sick individuals, predominantly affected by flu-like infections, COVID-19 cases, and some gastrointestinal infections.
Modarressy specified that approximately 60 percent of patients in his practice present with various infections, with ten percent testing positive for coronavirus. He anticipates a significant influenza wave, likely hitting Vienna mid to late January.
The impact of this infection surge extends to Viennese pharmacies. Johann Strauss pharmacy in Vienna-Wieden, for instance, reports selling around 100 Covid tests weekly, according to an ORF report. Pharmacist Manuel Wendl attributes the heightened demand to the impending holiday season, noting increased interest in masks and medications for various infections, including the COVID-19 drug Paxlovid.
Free CoV tests are accessible through family doctors if there are suspected infections, typically rapid antigen tests. Furthermore, many pharmacies provide antigen and PCR tests as a private service. PCR tests are available in various laboratories, such as Verbund Ihr Labor or Trinicum, where rinse tests for home use, similar to the previous "Alles gurgelt" tests, are also offered.
READ ALSO: How can I get a Covid or flu vaccine in Austria this autumn?
The five best hidden ski resorts in Austria
The skiing season has started, and people worldwide are travelling to some of Austria's hot spot locations. If you are looking for a resort where you have more space on the slopes and can experience more stunning nature untouched, we have some recommendations.
Austrian national convicted in UK over Iran TV 'terror plot'
An Austrian national was found guilty at a UK court Wednesday of spying for a group that may have been preparing to attack an independent Iranian TV station in London.
Magomed-Husejn Dovtaev, originally from Chechnya, was convicted by a jury at the Old Bailey court in central London following a short trial.
The 31-year-old had pled not guilty to possession of records containing information likely to be helpful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.
Counter-terrorism officers detained him in west London on February 11th.
Prosecutors told his trial that Dovtaev boarded a plane from Vienna to London to gather "hostile reconnaissance" on a building occupied by the Persian-language channel Iran International.
The channel's journalists had reported on alleged human rights violations in the country.
READ ALSO: What does Austria’s raised terror alert mean for the public?
Switzerland wants to renegotiate migration deal with Austria
The Swiss parliament has directed the government to initiate a renegotiation of the agreement with Austria concerning the return of irregular migrants, according to a Die Presse report.
Swiss Justice Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider, addressing the Council of States, tempered expectations about swift negotiations with Vienna. She cited Austria's overstretched asylum infrastructure, deeming any revisions to current agreements a low priority. Furthermore, Baume-Schneider noted a noticeable decline in arrivals at Switzerland's eastern border.
According to the Vienna Ministry of the Interior, returns to Austria have been minimal this year, affecting approximately 30 individuals.
Austria's Ministry of the Interior indicated that Bern primarily aims to modify "technical aspects," such as handover procedures or authority responsibilities. In response to the potential renegotiation, Vienna mentioned maintaining a "constructive, regular exchange with the Swiss authorities."
Last autumn, Interior Minister Gerhard Karner and Federal Councillor Karin Keller-Sutter devised an action plan to counter irregular migration in Zurich.
This plan encompassed cross-border searches, joint operations against smugglers, and coordinated inspections of rail traffic, including the Vienna-Zurich night train, where refugees from Afghanistan were apprehended with intentions to transit through Switzerland to countries like the UK and France.
READ ALSO: Austria introduces Czech border checks to curb migration
David Alaba is once again Austria's best footballer
David Alaba has been named Austria's footballer of the year for the tenth time, Austrian media reported.
The Austrian national team captain and Real Madrid professional secured the top spot in the poll conducted by the APA, receiving 53 points from the coaches of the twelve Bundesliga clubs. He surpassed Konrad Laimer (FC Bayern/13), Christoph Baumgartner, and Nicolas Seiwald (both RB Leipzig/7 each) in the rankings.
This latest accolade marks Alaba's fourth consecutive triumph and solidifies his status as the record holder with ten Footballer of the Year awards, surpassing Ivica Vastic (4) and Herbert Prohaska (3).
In an interview conducted with APA, Alaba expressed his gratitude, stating, "This is a huge honour. Something that always makes me really proud and makes me very happy. Ten times, that's something special again, and I'm incredibly grateful."
Investigation proceedings initiated against Salzburg FPÖ mandatary
The Salzburg public prosecutor's office has launched an investigation against Dominic Maier, a member of the Salzburg state parliament from the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ), on suspicion of incitement to hatred.
Following the lifting of his immunity by the state parliament, formal proceedings have been initiated, as stated by public prosecutor's office spokesperson Elena Haslinger in response to an APA inquiry on Thursday, Der Standard reported.
The investigation stems from a video posted by the FPÖ politician on TikTok and Instagram after a contentious campaign by climate activists in Salzburg on March 6th, 2023. In the video, Maier referred to the activists as "Eco-terrorists, barricade builders, and car igniters" – a phrase he also used in a press release a few days earlier. His statement addressed vandalism concerns after young people in the city created markings on the ground using stencils and spray cans to advocate for a "climate strike".
Before the start of investigative proceedings, the case underwent scrutiny by the Council of Instructions in the Ministry of Justice. The ministry endorsed the public prosecutor's plan, highlighting that the accused statements will likely depict climate activists negatively, incite hatred against them, and"disparage this group of people in the public eye".
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: How does Austria’s Klimaticket work?
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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