November 2021
25.11.2021 – Chancellor Hopes for Good Cooperation With German Government
Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg of the Austrian People’s Party, ÖVP, is hoping for further good cooperation after the formation of the coalition in Germany. “On the basis of the government program, I trust that the German course will be continued, for example when it comes to the future of the Western Balkans in the EU or the strategic direction in transatlantic relations,” said Schallenberg, according to a statement on Thursday.
He particularly emphasized the foreign policy goals of the future German coalition: “In the government program of the new coalition, I particularly welcome the clear commitment to the Stability and Growth Pact, to multilateralism and the continued commitment to Israel’s security as a reason of state. I look forward to future cooperation with the new German federal government under Chancellor Olaf Scholz. “
The three German parties SPD, FDP, and Greens announced the conclusion of their coalition negotiations in Berlin on Wednesday and presented the contract.
The latest news from Austria & Vienna is reported in cooperation with the Austrian Press Agency / APA.
24.11.2021 – Schallenberg: FP is “Irresponsible”
Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg (Austrian People’s Party, ÖVP) blames the right-wing Freedom Party (FPÖ) for fake news about the coronavirus pandemic. This was according to an interview in the online magazine Politico on Wednesday. It is irresponsible, “especially if one considers that a large percentage of the parties’ representatives are vaccinated, they however still spread fake news about deworming medicines”, Schallenberg said.
The FPÖ has opposed corona vaccinations and the lockdown. The role of the party is “a big difference between us and other European countries,” Schallenberg said in the interview with Politico.
Deworming medicine is mainly used as a veterinary medicine against parasites in the body. It was first praised in the US by anti-vaxxers and various coronavirus conspiracy theorists on social media as a useful treatment for COVID-10.
Reported in cooperation with the Austrian Press Agency / APA.
23.11.2021 – Increase in Short-Time Workers Expected
Due to the new lockdown, labor minister Martin Kocher (center-right Austrian People’s Party, ÖVP) expects the number of short-time workers to increase up to 350,000 to 400,000 people. The prognosis however was “not easy”, Kocher said on Tuesday. “The current situation does not yet reflect the short-time work situation.” Currently, 77,989 people are registered for short-time work. The number is expected not to exceed 500,000, Kocher said.
The labor minister expects the numbers to rise to a similar level as last winter. In terms of unemployment figures, the fourth Corona lockdown is not yet having a strong impact. According to the Ministry of Labour, 277,508 people are currently registered as unemployed – 5,652 more than last week. An additional 73,160 people are in training programs of the Job Market Service AMS.
The latest news from Austria & Vienna is reported in cooperation with the Austrian Press Agency / APA.
23.11.2021 – Erwin Van Lambaart Appointed as New Casinos CEO
As of April 1, 2022 Erwin van Lambaart will be CEO of Casinos Austria AG (CASAG). Van Lambaart is currently acting as CEO of Holland Casino. On Monday the supervisory board
appointed the 58-year-old as the successor of outgoing CEO Bettina Glatz-Kremsner. “I am delighted that in Erwin van Lambaart we have been able to secure an internationally experienced manager for the future of Casinos Austria AG,” said Christine Catasta, OeBAG
manager.
In March this year, Glatz-Kremsner had announced not to renew her contract due to “personal reasons”. The central prosecution for economic crime and corruption (WKStA) is investigating against her on suspicion of false testimony. Glatz-Kremsner rejects the accusations.
She has been working for Casinos Austria for 30 years. From July 2017 to April 2019 she was vice party leader of the Conservative People’s Party, VP. As of May 1, 2019, she took office as Casinos CEO.
The restructuring of the executive floor in March 2019 made her CEO and Peter Sidlo Chief Financial Officer. Sidlo, a former right-wing Freedom Party (FP) politician, was recalled after only seven months on suspicion of post-fixing and buying laws. The affair has not left Glatz-Kremsner unscathed. She appeared in the chats around the former head of the state holding company OeBAG, Thomas Schmid.
Schmid resigned in June this year, following a series of controversial chat protocols being made public. He was already under public scrutiny for the nebulous circumstances under which he was made OeBAG head.
Reported in cooperation with the Austrian Press Agency / APA.
22.11.2021 – Belarus Conference in Vienna Supports Opposition
Participants of the international conference on the future of Belarus in Vienna emphasized their support for the opposition. Belorussian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya also called for not negotiating with long-time ruler Alexander Lukashenko. He is not “re-educatable”, she said. “The experience with Lukashenko shows that only pressure works”,
Tikhanovskaya said on Monday.
Regarding the migration crisis at the EU external borders to Belarus chancellor Alexander Schallenberg (center-right Austrian People’s Party, ÖVP) underlined that the EU will not be blackmailed. In general, he was open to dialogue, as this was the only way to change behavior, Schallenberg said. However, “listening to Lukashenko’s public statements, I doubt that direct dialogue will lead to anything.”
Tikhanovskaya said the telephone call of German Chancellor Angela Merkel with Lukashenko was “strange” for the Belorussian civil society. She understands that the conversation should only serve to solve the migration crisis and help people at the border. The call was not an acknowledgment of Lukashenko, she said.
EU Commissioner for Expansion Oliver Varhelyi said that the sanction package was still being discussed. He also underlined the support for the opposition. “Belarus remains on the agenda”, Varhelyi said.
“Our aim is not regime change. We want the Belorussian population to make their own decisions. Free. Without Fear”, Foreign Minister Michael Linhart (VP) said.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas was convinced that Belarus will “see better days”.
Due to the lockdown in Austria, the conference was held online. Representatives of the Belarusian regime refused to participate in the conference.
Reported in cooperation with the Austrian Press Agency / APA.
