Today in Austria: A roundup of the latest news on Wednesday
Germany mulls entry ban for former Austrian identitarian movement leader, increased earthquake activity in Austria, danger of black ice on sidewalks and more news from Austria on Wednesday.
Germany mulls entry ban for former Austrian identitarian movement leader
German security authorities are deliberating an entry ban for Martin Sellner, the former head of Austria's far-right Identitarian movement.
The issue was brought up in the Bundestag's Committee on Internal Affairs, with Martina Renner, the Left Party's anti-fascism spokesperson, indicating that the government is considering measures to prevent Sellner from entering the country. CDU committee member Philipp Amthor supports the examination, emphasising the need to avoid tolerating agitation against the constitutional order, particularly from foreign extremists.
The Ministry of the Interior will assess the situation to determine the potential for an entry ban.
READ ALSO: How much of a threat is Austria's far-right Identitarian Movement?
EXPLAINED: What we know so far about Austria’s new income tax plan
As the election year heats up, Austrian chancellor Karl Nehammer will present a 'speech on the future of the nation' as a new tax plan is expected to be unveiled together with other proposals. Here's what we know about it so far.
German train strikes to affect (some) Austrian passengers
Travelling to Germany by train faces complications and cancellations due to the ongoing strike by the German train drivers' union (GDL).
Starting from 6 p.m. on Wednesday, a significant portion of Deutsche Bahn (DB) trains will be halted. To avoid disruptions, passengers are advised to consider alternative modes of transportation such as aeroplanes, cars, or the private Westbahn. Unlike ÖBB, which operates the Vienna-Munich route in partnership with Deutsche Bahn, Westbahn continues its regular service, with five daily trips from Salzburg to Munich and vice versa, unaffected by the German rail strike.
ÖBB suggested refraining from unnecessary rail travel to Bavaria during the strike, and a previous offer from Westbahn to transport ÖBB passengers from Salzburg to Munich was declined by ÖBB in the last strike.
An ÖBB spokesperson told Der Standard: "ÖBB's day trains to Germany are DB connections from the border. An offer from Westbahn for the Salzburg-Munich connection can, therefore, only be accepted by DB."
READ ALSO: What are your rights if your trip is delayed or cancelled in Austria?
Increased earthquake activity in Austria: Pillerseetal region affected
In January, Austria experienced an unusually high number of 20 noticeable earthquakes, four times more than the average for the month.
The Pillerseetal region in the Kitzbühel district (Tyrol) recorded most of these quakes, marking a significant seismic event. A recent earthquake in St. Johann in Tirol, with a magnitude of 3.8, contributed to the heightened seismic activity. The Pillerseetal region alone witnessed around 60 measurable earthquakes in January, with 16 being felt by the local population.
Seismologist Christiane Freudenthaler from GeoSphere Austria explained that Tyrol consistently experiences noticeable earthquakes due to ongoing geological processes related to Alpine formation.
The current earthquake series in Pillerseetal is reminiscent of a similar event in 1921 when the region saw repeated earthquakes over five months, with magnitudes reaching up to 3.8.
GeoSphere Austria notes that Austria witnesses a series of noticeable earthquakes every few years, citing examples such as the Gloggnitz area in Lower Austria in 2023, the Schottwien area (Lower Austria) and Klösterle area (Vorarlberg) in 2017, and the Seefeld area (Tyrol) in 2016.
READ ALSO: 'Achtung... Gefahr': What do Austria's weather warnings actually mean?
Danger of black ice on sidewalks: around 7,300 injuries per year
Black ice has resulted in numerous accidents in Austria, prompting the Austrian Road Safety Board (KFV) to issue a warning and advise pedestrians to exercise extreme caution.
The KFV urges pedestrians to walk slowly, employing the "penguin's waddle walk," a simple and effective method to prevent slipping. Older individuals are particularly at risk of falling on black ice, with potential long-term consequences.
Data indicates a significant increase in the number of serious injuries caused by falls among older people during winter months, KFV said.
Dr Johanna Trauner-Karner, Head of Sports and Leisure Safety at the KFV, emphasises the vulnerability of the wrist during falls, as individuals often try to support themselves with their hands. She also suggests keeping hands out of trouser pockets to allow for immediate support in case of a fall. Additionally, waiting a few hours until slippery conditions improve is advised if leaving the house is not urgent.
READ ALSO: Austria to get 'mini-spring' as skaters warned about ice danger
WHO sounds the alarm about measles in Europe
The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe has raised concerns over a substantial rise in measles cases in the region. Between January and October 2023, the region witnessed 30 times more measles cases than the entire previous year. Over 30,000 cases were reported in 40 out of the 54 member states, compared to 941 cases in 2022.
Kazakhstan and Russia were the most severely affected countries, each reporting over 10,000 cases. In Western Europe, the UK had the highest number of reported cases, totalling 183. The alarming aspect of this surge is that it led to 21,000 hospital admissions and five deaths during the period, according to WHO Regional Director Hans Kluge.
The WHO attributes the rise in measles cases to a decline in vaccination rates during the COVID-19 pandemic. Immunity gaps and missed vaccinations, especially among children, have left a significant portion of the population vulnerable to this potentially fatal disease. In the WHO Europe region alone, approximately 1.8 million infants were not vaccinated against measles between 2020 and 2022.
The Regional Office emphasises the urgent need to intensify vaccination efforts to prevent a resurgence of measles. It calls for swift recognition of measles outbreaks and timely responses by all countries to safeguard the progress in eradicating measles in Europe.
READ ALSO: What are Austria's new Covid and RSV vaccine recommendations?
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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Germany mulls entry ban for former Austrian identitarian movement leader
German security authorities are deliberating an entry ban for Martin Sellner, the former head of Austria's far-right Identitarian movement.
The issue was brought up in the Bundestag's Committee on Internal Affairs, with Martina Renner, the Left Party's anti-fascism spokesperson, indicating that the government is considering measures to prevent Sellner from entering the country. CDU committee member Philipp Amthor supports the examination, emphasising the need to avoid tolerating agitation against the constitutional order, particularly from foreign extremists.
The Ministry of the Interior will assess the situation to determine the potential for an entry ban.
READ ALSO: How much of a threat is Austria's far-right Identitarian Movement?
EXPLAINED: What we know so far about Austria’s new income tax plan
As the election year heats up, Austrian chancellor Karl Nehammer will present a 'speech on the future of the nation' as a new tax plan is expected to be unveiled together with other proposals. Here's what we know about it so far.
German train strikes to affect (some) Austrian passengers
Travelling to Germany by train faces complications and cancellations due to the ongoing strike by the German train drivers' union (GDL).
Starting from 6 p.m. on Wednesday, a significant portion of Deutsche Bahn (DB) trains will be halted. To avoid disruptions, passengers are advised to consider alternative modes of transportation such as aeroplanes, cars, or the private Westbahn. Unlike ÖBB, which operates the Vienna-Munich route in partnership with Deutsche Bahn, Westbahn continues its regular service, with five daily trips from Salzburg to Munich and vice versa, unaffected by the German rail strike.
ÖBB suggested refraining from unnecessary rail travel to Bavaria during the strike, and a previous offer from Westbahn to transport ÖBB passengers from Salzburg to Munich was declined by ÖBB in the last strike.
An ÖBB spokesperson told Der Standard: "ÖBB's day trains to Germany are DB connections from the border. An offer from Westbahn for the Salzburg-Munich connection can, therefore, only be accepted by DB."
READ ALSO: What are your rights if your trip is delayed or cancelled in Austria?
Increased earthquake activity in Austria: Pillerseetal region affected
In January, Austria experienced an unusually high number of 20 noticeable earthquakes, four times more than the average for the month.
The Pillerseetal region in the Kitzbühel district (Tyrol) recorded most of these quakes, marking a significant seismic event. A recent earthquake in St. Johann in Tirol, with a magnitude of 3.8, contributed to the heightened seismic activity. The Pillerseetal region alone witnessed around 60 measurable earthquakes in January, with 16 being felt by the local population.
Seismologist Christiane Freudenthaler from GeoSphere Austria explained that Tyrol consistently experiences noticeable earthquakes due to ongoing geological processes related to Alpine formation.
The current earthquake series in Pillerseetal is reminiscent of a similar event in 1921 when the region saw repeated earthquakes over five months, with magnitudes reaching up to 3.8.
GeoSphere Austria notes that Austria witnesses a series of noticeable earthquakes every few years, citing examples such as the Gloggnitz area in Lower Austria in 2023, the Schottwien area (Lower Austria) and Klösterle area (Vorarlberg) in 2017, and the Seefeld area (Tyrol) in 2016.
READ ALSO: 'Achtung... Gefahr': What do Austria's weather warnings actually mean?
Danger of black ice on sidewalks: around 7,300 injuries per year
Black ice has resulted in numerous accidents in Austria, prompting the Austrian Road Safety Board (KFV) to issue a warning and advise pedestrians to exercise extreme caution.
The KFV urges pedestrians to walk slowly, employing the "penguin's waddle walk," a simple and effective method to prevent slipping. Older individuals are particularly at risk of falling on black ice, with potential long-term consequences.
Data indicates a significant increase in the number of serious injuries caused by falls among older people during winter months, KFV said.
Dr Johanna Trauner-Karner, Head of Sports and Leisure Safety at the KFV, emphasises the vulnerability of the wrist during falls, as individuals often try to support themselves with their hands. She also suggests keeping hands out of trouser pockets to allow for immediate support in case of a fall. Additionally, waiting a few hours until slippery conditions improve is advised if leaving the house is not urgent.
READ ALSO: Austria to get 'mini-spring' as skaters warned about ice danger
WHO sounds the alarm about measles in Europe
The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe has raised concerns over a substantial rise in measles cases in the region. Between January and October 2023, the region witnessed 30 times more measles cases than the entire previous year. Over 30,000 cases were reported in 40 out of the 54 member states, compared to 941 cases in 2022.
Kazakhstan and Russia were the most severely affected countries, each reporting over 10,000 cases. In Western Europe, the UK had the highest number of reported cases, totalling 183. The alarming aspect of this surge is that it led to 21,000 hospital admissions and five deaths during the period, according to WHO Regional Director Hans Kluge.
The WHO attributes the rise in measles cases to a decline in vaccination rates during the COVID-19 pandemic. Immunity gaps and missed vaccinations, especially among children, have left a significant portion of the population vulnerable to this potentially fatal disease. In the WHO Europe region alone, approximately 1.8 million infants were not vaccinated against measles between 2020 and 2022.
The Regional Office emphasises the urgent need to intensify vaccination efforts to prevent a resurgence of measles. It calls for swift recognition of measles outbreaks and timely responses by all countries to safeguard the progress in eradicating measles in Europe.
READ ALSO: What are Austria's new Covid and RSV vaccine recommendations?
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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