Austria
Terrorism
Washington orders new sanctions against Hamas’ sham fundraising network
Going after key elements of the Hamas European fundraising network on the anniversary of the Gaza war, on October 7 the U.S. Treasury Department’s...
Transport
The Schengen Zone expands conditionally, for air and sea travelers
Europe’s passport-free Schengen Zone took an important step forward on March 31 with the partial inclusion of Romania and Bulgaria. Travelers arriving in the...
Bulgaria
Schengen Zone tremblors center on Bulgaria and Romania
The Netherlands announced on December 2 that it will accept Romania and Croatia's joining the EU’s special passport-free Schengen Zone but intended to block...
Austria
Late Red Bull tycoon left an indelible mark on Austrian society & politics
He was described as the “most famous unknown” in Austria, Dieter Mateschitz was one of the richest people in the country – according...
Austria
A growing number of politicians run afoul of strict COVID regulations
The pandemic is claiming more and more victims among politicians, not by getting infected, but by coming into conflict with the strict rules to...
Austria
Austrian scheme to support electricity production from renewables gets EU nod
An Austrian aid scheme to support electricity production from renewable sources complies with EU State aid rules, the EU’s antitrust chief said on December...
Analysis
The deep fall of a child prodigy
The surprise was great, and he staged it in his usual professional manner. Sebastian Kurz, who at 31 became Austria's youngest-ever chancellor, announced his...
Analysis
Germany and its neo-imperial quest in Bosnia
When rumors first began to swirl in January about the possible appointment of Christian Schmidt as Europe's High Representative to Bosnia and Herzegovina, I...
Afghanistan
Enough of the Durban depravity
This month marks the 20th anniversary of the so-called “World Conference Against Racism”, otherwise known as Durban I. The 2001 conference was to be...
Afghanistan
The EU is nothing but a feckless spectator in the unfolding Afghan crisis
The surprising speed by which the Taliban seized control, with relative ease, of the whole of Afghanistan is a major geopolitical debacle for the...
Analysis
How the Austrians and their Chancellor charmed the Arabs
In late July, the Austrian capital of Vienna hosted a special guest. It was none other than the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. The...
Afghanistan
From Vienna to Tripoli, the Muslim Brotherhood’s impact is felt on both sides of the Mediterranean
Austria's Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has recently undertaken a number of legislative initiatives that target Islamist groups and movements, which are active within the country,...
Albania
EU supports green energy efficiency in Kosovo
More homeowners in Kosovo will be able to improve the energy efficiency of their households thanks to a new €2 million credit line extended...
Analysis
No more lip service: The EU must be more resolute vis-à-vis Russia
The first meeting between Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin showed that the US is no longer letting Moscow lead it around by the nose...
Archive
Hungary’s MOL Group to acquire OMV Slovenia
Austrian energy major OMV and Hungary’s MOL Group have announced the agreement for MOL Group to acquire OMV Slovenia.According to OMV, the agreement encompasses...
Archive
Sanctions have to hurt
Can the EU topple Alexander Lukashenko, the dictator of Belarus, with new sanctions? Probably not, but after the forced landing of Ryanair Flight 4978,...
Archive
No discounts on the EU’s fundamental values
Alexander Schallenberg has been Austria's Federal Minister for European and International Affairs in the second Sebastian Kurz government since January 2020. He previously served...
Albania
Is EU Enlargement on hold yet again?
As Portugal’s EU presidency is reaching its final month, additional pressure is expected on Bulgaria to press it to resolve its ongoing dispute with...
Archive
MEPs slam EU food companies over caged confinement of animals abroad
In a strongly-worded letter released on May 15, members of the European Parliament called on food companies to end the caged confinement of animals in their global supply...
Archive
US wants Iran nuke deal reinstated, but tied to safeguards
US President Joe Biden says that restoring the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as 'the Iran nuclear deal', must be followed...
Albania
COVID-19 vaccine supplies trickle into Southeast Europe
In line with global trends, deliveries of COVID-19 vaccine supplies to Southeast Europe increased in April, but the record to-date shows it was anything...
Albania
Southeast Europe begins to tackle COVID-19 immunization delays
In terms of Covid-19 vaccinations, the gap between Europe’s haves and have nots finally appears to be narrowing, after many months where much of...
Archive
EU frets, Iran plans 60% uranium enrichment after nuke site attack
The European Union said Brussels is extremely worried by Iran’s deputy foreign minister announcement that the regime in Tehran will start enriching uranium at...
Archive
OPEC+ meets as Saudis keep finger on the pumps, Russia wants gradual output increase
The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, a group known as OPEC+, convened for talks chaired by Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz...
Archive
EU probes possible anticompetitive behaviour by power exchange EPEX Spot
The European Commission has opened a formal investigation to assess whether the power exchange EPEX Spot has been taking advantage of its dominant position...
Analysis
Biden’s narrow timeline to get tough on Putin
On March 2, President Joe Biden’s administration, together with the United Kingdom and the European Union, announced new sanctions against Russia over last summer's...
Austria
Troubled anniversary
The Visegrad 4 of Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland has been a tremendous success. Together we joined the EU and NATO bringing...
Archive
Germany partially closes borders with the Czech Republic, Austria over Coronavirus variant
Germany partially closed its borders with the Czech Republic and Austria’s Tyrol on Sunday, reinstating temporary entry bans and border controls over growing fears for...
Austria
New sanctions against Russia are inevitable
The sentencing of Alexey Navalny to three and a half years in a penal colony, on trumped-up charges, was a grotesque infringement of elementary...
Albania
Karl von Habsburg: Speech on the future of Europe
The following speech was given on January 11 to honor the 60th birthday of Karl von Habsburg, the head of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine...
Archive
Sefcovic hails milestone for EU Battery Alliance
A second Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) to support research and innovation in the battery value chain complies with EU state aid...
Archive
Russia, Saudi Arabia eye COVID-19 oil cut to hike prices
Russia and OPEC-kingpin Saudi Arabia are reportedly mulling to delay an increase in oil production in January, maintaining an output cut aimed to raise...
Archive
Polish fine against Gazprom over Nord Stream 2 unlikely to ever be paid
Poland anti-monopoly watchdog has fined Russian gas giant Gazprom $7.6 billion over the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which is unlikely to ever be...
Archive
Germany’s LNG quid pro quo to US to stave off Nord Stream 2 sanctions
Berlin reportedly offered to spend €1 billion to build two liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals if Washington agreed not to impose sanctions on the...
Archive
Athens pivots to Washington for help with Turkish provocations
In the latest sub-chapter of the seemingly never-ending dispute over energy exploration rights in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean, Athens has again called for...
Asia & Pacific
Could bad data be to blame for high coronavirus death toll
European countries saw some of the highest death told for coronavirus over the last month. Deaths in Italy have surpassed those in China many...
Analysis
Europe's masked corona ball
Response from the Cabinet of Commissioner Lenarčič:
At the end of January, as the outbreak intensified in Wuhan coronavirus epicentre, President von der Leyen triggered...
Archive
Austria to use more rapid coronavirus tests for broader testing
Austria’s chancellor Sebastian Kurz announced that the country will massively expand coronavirus testing in coming days to locate and isolate infected people. After learning...
Archive
EU Climate Law needs to stick to a 100% renewable scenario, WindEurope says
The EU Climate Law needs to stick to a 100% renewable energy scenario which achieves the objective of climate neutrality based on renewables only,...
Archive
Russia’s Gazprom and Austria’s OMV introduce asset sale deal amendments
Gazprom Chairman CEO Alexey Miller and OMV Chairman Rainer Seele signed on 6 March in St Petersburg the contract on the amendments to the...
Archive
France reports first coronavirus death, as epidemic spreads in Europe
The French Health Ministry reported that a 60-year-old man died of a COVID-19 (popularly known as coronavirus) infection overnight on Wednesday, February 26 in...
Archive
Rosneft increases its share in Bayernoil refinery
Rosneft Deutschland, a subsidiary of Russian oil giant, has completed the deal to acquire a 3.57% stake in Bayernoil Raffineriegesellschaft from British BP, Rosneft...
Archive
Austria's new night train sets off for Brussels
The first night train to set off for Belgium in 16 years departed from Vienna on 19 January.
Austrian and European politicians boarded the “OBB...
Archive
"Immigration as much a threat as climate change" says Austria's Kurz
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, said that illegal immigration poses the same threat as climate change does, placing both issues on top of his agenda.
"It is...
Archive
Austria's foreign ministry hit by "serious cyber-attack"
The Austrian Foreign Ministry said it was facing a "serious cyber-attack" and that another "state actor" could be responsible.
The hack, which started on Saturday...
Archive
Austria to reject Mercosur deal
The new Austrian government will not support the trade deal between the EU and South American nations.
The EU and the South American trade bloc...
Archive
Don’t slow the flow: EU wants no snag in Russian gas via Ukraine
As Nord Stream-2 builders are planning to finish the gas pipeline from Russia to Germany underneath the Baltic Sea by the end of the...
Archive
OPEC+ oil production cuts, possible US-China trade deal boost oil prices
Supply cuts led by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), US sanctions against Iran and Venezuela and the possibility of a US-China trade...
Archive
Putin voices support for OPEC, sees no need to cut production
Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly said on November 15 that Moscow is committed to continuing its cooperation with the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries...
Archive
With an eye on Nord Stream-2, EU Gas Directive debate heats up
The European Union debate on the on-going revision process of the Gas Directive continues as businesses and companies are concerned that changes will affect...
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