Austria

‘All women’ could be asked to wear headscarves in ‘solidarity’ with Muslims – Austrian president
The president of Austria has raised quite a few eyebrows after stating that there may come a day when all women are asked to wear headscarves out of solidarity, citing discrimination faced by Muslims in the country. [...]
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Austrian Minister Demands Fines for Turks Illegally Holding Dual Citizenship
Acquiring a second citizenship is illegal in Austria. After the referendum in Turkey, the Austrian interior minister additionally called for fining Austrian Turks for obtaining it. Austrian Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka said Wednesday he would seek hefty fines for ethnic Turks holding Austrian citizenship who illegally obtain a second passport. [...]
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Turkey partially blocks NATO projects, including political events & military drills
Ankara has partially blocked its participation in some NATO projects, including political events and military drills, amid a diplomatic row over the cancelation of Turkish rallies in several European countries. A spokeswoman for Ankara's mission to the military alliance said on Thursday that Turkey's withdrawal is only aimed at Austria. [...]
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Austrian defense minister eyes ‘protective zones’ to rid EU of illegal migrants
Austria has proposed tough new anti-migrant measures, with its Defense Minister calling for a pan-European cap on migration, external application centers for refugees and “protective zones” to hold and deport illegals from the EU. [...]
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Austria ready to send troops to other European countries to keep migrants out
The government in Vienna is working on amendments to Austrian laws that would allow troops to be sent to other European countries to help them "protect their borders" from illegal migrants and refugees, the Austrian defense minister has said. [...]
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‘US interventions a reason for migrant crisis, US should share burden’ – Austrian Chancellor
The US shares responsibility for the ongoing migrant crisis, according to Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern. Speaking on the sidelines of an EU summit in Malta, he stated that American “interventions” are in part to blame for the refugee flows. [...]
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40% of refugees in Austria put religion above law – study
A new study from the Austrian Academy of Sciences shows that 40 percent of refugees in Austria believe religious commandments take precedence over the nation’s laws, prompting the country’s foreign minister to push for a rigorous new integration package. [...]
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8 people detained in Vienna & Graz in ISIS-linked raids in Austria
Austrian police have arrested eight people in anti-terrorist raids conducted in Vienna and Graz, the country’s APA news agency reports. According to the local Kronen Zeitung newspaper, all of those detained were from the former Yugoslavia. [...]
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Blow to Schengen as Austria Refuses to Re-Open German Border
Austria remains in favor of border controls and an upper limit on refugees, Interior Minister Wolfgang Subotka told German newspaper Die Welt. Having imposed controls at its border with Germany in September 2015 at the height of Europe's migrant crisis, Austria wants to continue with them indefinitely, Interior Minister Wolfgang Subotka told German newspaper Die Welt on Friday. [...]
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Austrian Women Report Wave of NYE Sex Attacks
Women in several cities have reported sex attacks committed during New Year's Eve celebrations, the Austrian press reports. The number female victims of sex attacks in the Austrian city of Innsbruck has risen to 19 after the parents of several teeenage girls reported the crimes to police, Austrian media reported on Tuesday. [...]
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Austrians Count Cost of Losing ‘Paradise Market’ in Russia Due to Sanctions
As Russian producers reap the rewards of import substitution, Austrian exporters are ruing the EU's decision to impose sanctions. Imposing sanctions against Russia was a mistake which has cost Europe as much as Russia, Vienna's former trade ambassador to Moscow Dietmar Fellner told Austria's Kurier newspaper. [...]
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EU needs ‘strong foreign & domestic policy’ whoever US leader is – Austrian FM to RT
The European Union should maintain a “strong” and “independent” approach in foreign and domestic policy, regardless of who the current US President is, Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz told RT. The official spoke following a meeting with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, in which they discussed ties between the EU and Moscow. [...]
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Austria’s far-right party chief calls for law banning ‘political Islam’ over its ‘fascist worldview’
Austria needs an “effective law banning political Islam,” said Heinz-Christian Strache, the head of the Austrian far-right Freedom Party (FPO), adding that the Alpine country should also stop accepting new migrants and refugees. [...]
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Austria to use OSCE chairmanship to ease anti-Russia sanctions – FM Kurz
The new chairman of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has said he seeks to improve relations with Russia, as there can be no "positive developments" on the continent with the current punitive approach. Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz said his country, Austria, will work to "gradually" ease sanctions imposed by the West against Russia in connection with Ukra [...]
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Either Europe changes the rules, or we lose the EU – Norbert Hofer
[Elite_video_player id="11"]   Although Austria’s right-wing presidential candidate was defeated in a close election, his success has sent ripples of panic across the EU. As anti-establishment politicians gain momentum across the bloc, many predict a political storm gathering in Europe. With the victory of Donald Trump in America’s presidential election emboldening right-wing pol [...]
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Austrian far-right Hofer wants to suspend naturalization of Turks, says ‘Auxit’ still possible
Far-right Austrian Freedom Party (FPO) presidential candidate Norbert Hofer has called for a ban on naturalization of Turkish residents in Austria until dual citizenship issues are resolved and said that his country could still leave the EU if Turkey joins the bloc. [...]
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Turkey Recalls Ambassador to Austria Over Pro-Kurdish Rally in Vienna
Turkey's foreign minister has recalled its Austrian ambassador for "consultations" in the wake of a rally held in Vienna in support of the PKK. "In response to recent events, we have withdrawn our ambassador from Vienna for consultations and to review our relations with Austria," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters. [...]
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Austrian, German party leaders compare Turkey’s post-coup crackdown to Hitler power grab
The leaders of Germany’s liberal Free Democrats and Austria’s far-right Freedom parties have both drawn parallels between the Turkish president’s post-coup crackdown and the abuse of power which allowed Adolf Hitler to exert Nazi rule. A failed military coup attempt to oust and potentially kill elected Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan resulted in a hard-line response, with the Turkish par [...]
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Accession brawl: Turkey calls Austria ‘capital of radical racism,’ Vienna tells Ankara ‘do homework’
After Austria suggested putting an end to EU membership talks with Turkey, Ankara hit back, labeling Vienna the “capital of radical racism.” The Austrian foreign minister suggested Turkey should moderate its wording and “do its homework.”   [...]
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‘Negotiations are fiction’: Austria & Turkey in heated EU membership debate
Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern has urged the EU to halt membership talks with Turkey following Ankara’s crackdown in the wake of the failed July coup. Turkey’s EU affairs minister said the statements were “disturbing” and “similar to the far right.” [...]
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Austrian far-right politician shows migrants ‘how to interact with our women’ (VIDEO)
A provocative video in which an Austrian far-right politician explains to asylum seekers, using a blonde mannequin and posters in Arabic, that European women generally don’t like being groped in public by strangers has stirred controversy. The video has sparked a lot of negative comments and a series of video responses, forcing Freedom Party politician Armin Sippel to take the video down due [...]
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‘Unthinkable’: Austria’s interior minister rejects proposal to grant work permits to asylum seekers
Austria’s interior minister has rejected a proposal that would require EU member states to grant asylum seekers the right to work, calling the plan “unthinkable,” as the country’s job market could not absorb the flood of new workers. [...]
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