Regional Elections
Stronach’s Gloss and Glory, 5 March by Michael Völker All together 130,000 people in Lower Austria and Carinthia voted this Sunday [3 March] for Team Stronach. That is indeed a strong showing. Even prior to the elections, this ‘test-tube’ party was, in fact, able to form a parliamentary group, and yet has achieved even more [...]
Salzburg Finance Scandal
Salzburg is Threatened by Many Unpleasant Surprises, 19 Feb. 2013 by Andreas Schnauder The perspective of the SPÖ is quickly told. Unauthorised, a division head speculates with tax money, no one knows about it. But thanks to the swift response, Salzburg gets off easy after the incident becomes public. Instead of running [...]
Horsemeat Scandal
The Horse and a Dirty Trick, 15 Feb. 2013 by Andreas Schwarz The horse has fallen out of favour. Ever since the animal started galloping through the media as a horsemeat scandal, horsemeat has been regarded as yuck! [...] This debate should be reined in before it bolts away. [...]
Skiing for Gold
“A Day Full of Great Joy”, 17 Feb by Benno Zelsacher Schladming – He really did it. And after having done it followed by an exuberant belly-flop after the finish, Marcel Hirscher said: “They told me that only the greatest manage that. Now I find it difficult to describe.” The 23-year-old from [...]
Haneke’s Amour and Christoph Waltz: Cinema Supplants Skiing?
Michael Haneke’s Prizes and His Appetite for Spinach, 2 Dec. 2012 by Michael Pekler Malta provided the venue for the 25th European Film Awards. During the gala event in the fortress city Valletta, Michael Haneke’s Amour was the big winner – receiving four awards, including Best European Film. […] This time a [...]
Grinzing in China
Copying Austria, 8 Jan. 2013 by Renate Graber Apparently China is interested in our Grinzing. It’s not so much that rich Chinese are planning real estate investments in Viennese Heurigen-areas; it’s that they are creating a duplicate copy of the Grinzing village centre, which will be built somewhere in China. The Middle [...]
Media Monitor: Conscription Referendum
Reaction in German-language media following the 2013 Conscription Referendum. Mandatory Military Service Beats SPÖ 20 Jan. 2013 by Cathrin Kahlweit The Austrian electorate has decided to keep conscription. This was to be expected, yet the clear result of 60% in favour is a slap in the face for the Social Democrats. A [...]
EADS Bribery Scandal
Europe-wide Bribery Network, 10 Nov. by Hans Leyendecker and Klaus Ott Bribery and embezzlement, money laundering and fraud: Because of the EADS’ [European Aeronautic Defence Space Company] business deals with Austria, prosecutors are investigating all over Europe. The head of the defence contractor, Tom Enders, has announced a crack-down on corruption. It is, however, rather [...]
Austrian Views on the U.S. Presidential Election
The USA Elected Keynes, 7 Nov. by Thomas Seifert In 6 November 2012 election, the U.S. electorate was asked to pass sentence on Obama’s economic policy, defining the role the state has in the lives of the people. Obama was the president who incurred debt in a Keynesian manner to stimulate public demand, as well [...]
