Re: News from Austria

**Lamplighter** Tue Jul 19, 2016 9:13 am

Knife-wielding man shot dead by police in Vienna
Police called out to a disturbance at an apartment in Vienna early on Sunday morning shot dead a man after he ran at them holding two kitchen knives.
Published: 18 Jul 2016 09:55 GMT+02:00
http://www.thelocal.at/20160718/knife-wielding-man-shot-dead-by-police-in-vienna

Austria: Revival of Turkish death penalty 'unacceptable'
Published: 18 Jul 2016 08:50 GMT+02:00
The suggestion of bringing back the death penalty in Turkey in response to a failed coup attempt against Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has been described as “absolutely unacceptable” by Austria’s foreign minister.
http://www.thelocal.at/20160718/austria-turkish-death-penalty-absolutely-unacceptable

Erdoğan supporters told to keep politics out of Austria
Published: 19 Jul 2016 09:51 GMT+02:00
Austrian politicians have criticised supporters of the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan who took to the streets in Austria on the weekend in support of the president following the failed coup against him.
http://www.thelocal.at/20160719/politicians-criticise-erdogan-demonstrators-in-austria-vienna-protest-turkey

**bb1** Tue Jul 19, 2016 9:46 am

At one point on Saturday the demonstrators attacked the garden of a branch of the Turkish-Kurdish restaurant chain Türkis, reflecting the ongoing tensions between the Turkish government and the Kurdish minority in the country.

Lovely people.

I am afraid it is too late to expect them to behave voluntarily.

**Lamplighter** Wed Jul 20, 2016 7:10 am

Erdoğan supporters told to keep politics out of Austria

Published: 19 Jul 2016 09:51 GMT+02:00

Austrian politicians have criticised supporters of the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan who took to the streets in Austria on the weekend in support of the president following the failed coup against him. More at link.
http://www.thelocal.at/20160719/politicians-criticise-erdogan-demonstrators-in-austria-vienna-protest-turkey

Austria: Revival of Turkish death penalty 'unacceptable'

Published: 18 Jul 2016 08:50 GMT+02:00

The suggestion of bringing back the death penalty in Turkey in response to a failed coup attempt against Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has been described as “absolutely unacceptable” by Austria’s foreign minister.
http://www.thelocal.at/20160718/austria-turkish-death-penalty-absolutely-unacceptable

**Lamplighter** Wed Jul 20, 2016 8:16 am

German targets wrong victim with Nazi slurs

Published: 19 Jul 2016 11:54 GMT+02:00

A German man was arrested in Austria after insulting a fellow train passenger with a Nazi slur only to see him pull out his ID, indicating he was an off-duty officer with the country’s counter-terrorism unit.

The incident happened on a train travelling west from Vienna when the 65-year-old German man began dishing out racial insults to a woman travelling with her young son after the child’s foot had touched the man’s bag.

After a man sitting nearby intervened in the incident, the German shouted at him: “I gassed hundreds of tattooed pigs like you in Auschwitz.”

The tattooed man then pulled out his ID showing he is a member of Austria’s special operations unit EKO-Cobra, which happens to be responsible for carrying out counter-terrorism operations in the country.

The off-duty Cobra officer seized the man, who according to witnesses continued to shout insults at him before being taken off the train at Linz station and handed over to police to the cheers of the other passengers.

Under Austria’s Prohibition Act 1947, it is forbidden - as it is in Germany - to broadcast Nazi sentiments or deny or try to justify Nazi crimes.

http://www.thelocal.at/20160719/oap-targets-wrong-victim-with-nazi-slurs

**lily** Wed Jul 20, 2016 6:33 pm

Good for him!

**Lamplighter** Fri Jul 22, 2016 10:43 am

Austria ready for 100km border fence with Hungary
Published: 22 Jul 2016 09:28 GMT+02:00
Austria has finished preparations for building a possible 100 kilometre fence along its eastern border with Hungary after securing permission from hundreds of private landowners in the region.
http://www.thelocal.at/20160722/austria-finishes-preparing-100km-border-fence-with-hungary

Brexit predicted to cut growth in Austria by 0.5%
Published: 21 Jul 2016 11:28 GMT+02:00
Austria’s Institute for Advanced Studies (IHS) announced today that Britain’s decision to leave the EU is expected to cut economic growth in Austria by half a percent by 2020.
http://www.thelocal.at/20160721/brexit-predicted-to-cut-growth-in-austria-by-05

**bb1** Fri Jul 22, 2016 10:45 am

I suspect many landowners have been begging the government to build it....

**lily** Fri Jul 22, 2016 5:48 pm

I know I would!! Good for them to be getting a fence.

**Lamplighter** Sun Jul 24, 2016 9:32 am

Border security tightened after Munich massacre
Published: 24 Jul 2016 09:27 GMT+02:00
Austria has "significantly" tightened security measures along its border with Germany and put an elite police force on high alert following the Munich mall attack, a government security chief said Friday.
http://www.thelocal.at/20160724/border-security-tightened-after-munich-massacre

Jihad recruiter sentenced to 20 years in Austria
Published: 14 Jul 2016 07:40 GMT+02:00
A Muslim preacher at the centre of an Austrian jihad propaganda network was sentenced to 20 years in jail on Wednesday for recruiting young fighters to the Islamic State group.
http://www.thelocal.at/20160714/jihad-recruiter-sentenced-to-20-years-in-austria

**Lamplighter** Mon Jul 25, 2016 7:52 pm

Human trafficking gang busted

Published: 25 Jul 2016 20:34 GMT+02:00

Austrian police said Monday that an international operation smashed an alleged people-smuggling ring suspected of illegally bringing more than 1,000 people from Hungary into western Europe over the past year.

More than 100 officers in Austria, Germany, Poland and Hungary raided 12 properties last Thursday, arresting seven people believed to be the ringleaders, police in Salzburg told reporters.

They would allegedly charge 300 euros ($330) per person for transport from Hungary to Vienna and 700-800 euros to get to Germany, transporting them in convoys of several cars and paying drivers 700 euros per journey.

"This remains a very lucrative business," said Gerald Tatzgern, Austria's senior official in charge of efforts to tackle human-smuggling.

Austria and Hungary last year became major transit countries for hundreds of thousands of migrants, many of them escaping violence in Syria and elsewhere, travelling up from Greece into western Europe.

Hungary has since closed its border with Serbia, which together with a deal between the European Union and Turkey has slowed the inflow dramatically. This has, however, prompted migrants to turn to smugglers.

http://www.thelocal.at/20160725/human-trafficking-gang-busted-hungary-refugees

**lily** Mon Jul 25, 2016 8:51 pm

They used to be called coyotes here. Now I would call them POS.

**Lamplighter** Tue Jul 26, 2016 11:04 am

Austria and Hungary meet to discuss refugee policy
Published: 26 Jul 2016
Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern is travelling to Budapest today for talks with the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban over refugee policies.
http://www.thelocal.at/20160726/austrian-and-hungarian-leaders-meet-to-discuss-refugee-policy

Brits help to give tourism in Vienna a boost
Published: 26 Jul 2016
Vienna is going through a tourism boom at the moment after seeing significantly more tourists in the first half of this year.
http://www.thelocal.at/20160726/brits-give-tourism-in-vienna-a-boost-austria-travel-holidays-hotels

**bb1** Tue Jul 26, 2016 11:10 am

Can anyone still doubt that Hungary's refugee policy - not letting them in - has been proven correct?

A lot of Brits who are interested in history, etc., used to go to places like Turkey, Egypt, etc, so maybe Vienna is now picking up that market, LL? Also, Michael Portillo has been singing the praises of seeing Europe by train, and places like Vienna and Budapest looked wonderful.

**Lamplighter** Tue Jul 26, 2016 11:42 am

bb1 wrote:A lot of Brits who are interested in history, etc., used to go to places like Turkey, Egypt, etc, so maybe Vienna is now picking up that market, LL? Also, Michael Portillo has been singing the praises of seeing Europe by train, and places like Vienna and Budapest looked wonderful.

I am very biased with Vienna (I wonder why?) which is the most beautiful city in Europe; Budapest is, as a close friend of mine said when she visited there two years ago) like stepping back into the past - they had, and still have, a policy of trying to retain and maintain the old city, so building is heavily regulated. Both cities are very popular, though Budapest has a slight drawback that some functionaries on the extremely efficient transport systems have no English; knowledge of German is very useful. LL

**lily** Tue Jul 26, 2016 3:28 pm

Was watching something on TV yesterday and then the film's location switched to Budapest. It looked incredible so I made a note to myself! I also love Vienna and would always be open to returning. smile

**Lamplighter** Tue Jul 26, 2016 3:35 pm

For lily - and everyone else!! LL
Budapest: http://www.aviewoncities.com/gallery/budapest.htm
Vienna: http://www.aviewoncities.com/gallery/vienna.htm

**lily** Tue Jul 26, 2016 4:03 pm

What beautiful photos LL. I want to go there even more now!!

**bb1** Tue Jul 26, 2016 4:09 pm

I suspect these may be helping:

http://www.expressionsholidays.co.uk/Featured-Holidays/In-the-tracks-of-Michael-Portillo/

In the tracks of Michael Portillo's Great Continentail Railway Journeys'

They are constantly repeated, and very watchable - and just about the best publicity imaginable.

**lily** Tue Jul 26, 2016 5:23 pm

Wow...brilliant!

**Lamplighter** Wed Jul 27, 2016 1:30 pm

Austrian fires blanks at asylum seekers from car
Published: 27 Jul 2016 12:36 GMT+02:00
Two brothers in Austria may face charges after one of them leaned out the car they were both travelling in and shot at two asylum seekers walking on the pavement.
http://www.thelocal.at/20160727/austrian-teen-shoots-at-asylum-seekers-from-car

**Lamplighter** Thu Jul 28, 2016 7:51 am

Terror conspiracy suspects to be extradited
Published: 27 Jul 2016 20:56 GMT+02:00
Austria is to hand over to France two suspected members of the same Islamic State group unit who massacred 130 people in Paris last November, officials and media reports said Wednesday.
http://www.thelocal.at/20160727/terror-conspiracy-suspects-to-be-extradited-france

**lily** Thu Jul 28, 2016 4:21 pm

Well done Austria!

**Lamplighter** Fri Jul 29, 2016 12:59 pm

Austrian police assess risks in refugee homes
Published: 29 Jul 2016 11:04 GMT+02:00
Austrian police are going into asylum centres to encourage friendly relations with locals and to try to spot and prevent radicalisation of refugees.
http://www.thelocal.at/20160729/austrian-police-act-as-point-of-contact-in-refugee-home

First poll predicts Austrian far-right to win election re-run
Published: 29 Jul 2016 12:32 GMT+02:00
The first poll taken ahead of the repeat of the Austrian presidential election in October has put the previously defeated far-right candidate a few percentages ahead of his rival.
http://www.thelocal.at/20160729/far-right-hofer-edges-ahead-in-first-poll-on-election-re-run

**bb1** Fri Jul 29, 2016 1:39 pm

A large majority - 56% - of those surveyed said they thought the election challenge and decision to repeat it damaged Austria’s international image.

No, it was the convenient 'narrow win' courtesy of postal votes that did that. Austria's courts are to be praised for upholding the law.

**Lamplighter** Mon Aug 01, 2016 5:37 pm

Soldiers replace police at embassies in Vienna
Published: 01 Aug 2016 12:42 GMT+02:00
Soldiers from the Austrian army will from today be used to guard embassies around Vienna in order to free up police to carry other duties in the city.
http://www.thelocal.at/20160801/soldiers-replace-police-at-embassies-in-vienna

Cash bonus fails to motivate refugees to leave Austria
Published: 01 Aug 2016 11:33 GMT+02:00
Over 3,100 asylum seekers have returned home voluntarily from Austria so far this year, although experts say they are not motivated by money offered by the government to leave.
http://www.thelocal.at/20160801/cash-bonus-fails-to-motivate-refugees-to-leave-austria

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