The Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) and the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) have agreed on a new schedule in their seventh round of negotiations on 13 December 2006. The coalition talks are to be concluded by 8 January 2007, the swearing-in of the new federal government has been planned for 11 January 2007. The government proclamation in Parliament is expected to take place on 16 January 2007. Both sides referred to a “very harmonious” climate of negotiations.
According to SPÖ chief Alfred Gusenbauer, “facts” are to be created by publishing a schedule. It had been a joint achievement of President Heinz Fischer, ÖVP Chairman, Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel and himself to fix 11 January 2007 as the date of the swearing-in ceremony. They would do their best to stick to this date, said Gusenbauer. “We are making good progress. We have drawn up a realistic timetable which we can meet if everybody cooperates”, confirmed Schüssel. President Fischer, with whom the dates had been agreed on previously, admitted that the publication of the date of the swearing-in implied a certain “risk” but the “seriousness” of the efforts has become clear.
The SPÖ and ÖVP have reached a general agreement to realise state and administrative reforms. A working group is to develop the details of a far-reaching constitutional reform by mid-2007. This project includes constitutional amendments and the incorporation of fundamental rights in the Constitution. At administrative level parallel competences of the Republic, Länder and municipalities are to be abolished, e.g. regarding education, social affairs and democracy. New projects include a central school administration for each Land as well as “one-stop shops” for recipients of unemployment benefits, welfare benefits and social assistance payments. A solution is to be found in the conflict over bilingual topographical signposts in Carinthia that guarantees compliance with the State Treaty and is acceptable for the Slovenian minority and the majority population.
Gusenbauer described the state and administrative reforms as the “main concern“ of the next government, for these issues required a two-thirds majority in Parliament. Chancellor Schüssel mentioned “good work” and “important steps ahead“.
The talks on 13 December 2006 also focused on the chapters “business location” and “infrastructure”. The SPÖ and the ÖVP had a common stance on more flexible working hours. Sunday should not become a shopping day but the shop hours should also become more flexible. The incidental wage costs are to be decreased in a tax reform. The research ratio is to climb to 3% of the GDP by 2010. To ensure cost control, all proposals of the subgroups dealing with specific subjects have to be coordinated with the team responsible for financing. No agreement has been reached on issues like the Eurofighter military jets, guaranteed minimum income and university tuition fees. ■

The ÖVP and the SPÖ jointly adopted an amendment of the Family Burden Equalisation Act and the Childcare Benefits Act in Parliament on 15 December 2006. Retroactive payment of childcare benefits and family allowances will become possible and guaranteed to foreigners residing legally in Austria.
With this amendment and an ordinance amending the Establishment and Residence Act announced by Minister of the Interior Liese Prokop on 11 December 2006, the current debate on childcare benefits was solved quickly and unbureaucratically. The aim of the envisaged ordinance is to make it easier for foreign children to obtain residence permits and prevent delays in paying childcare benefits and family allowances. The new rules also have retroactive effect.
Foreign children legally living in Austria will no longer need a passport for legal residence but only the birth certificate and residence card of the mother. Hence, parents will no longer have to undergo lengthy procedures to obtain the necessary documents in their country of origin but will receive family benefits as from the birth of their child.
A compromise on childcare benefits also seems likely in the coalition talks between the SPÖ and the ÖVP. The responsible subgroup agreed on a flexibilisation of these benefits. The details and financing are being discussed. ■

The summit meeting of the EU heads of state and government in Brussels on 14 and 15 December 2006 concentrated on enlargement issues. Austria was represented by Chancellor Schüssel and Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik. While the EU wants to adopt a more cautious approach to enlargement in the future, it will keep its commitment towards Turkey, Croatia and the Balkan countries. According to the Presidency conclusions of the meeting, the Union’s capacity of integrating new members should be taken into account in the future. No new accession criteria have been established, said the Chairman of the Finnish EU Presidency Matti Vanhanen.
In the future the EU would no longer specify target dates for accession to candidate countries. Moreover, difficult negotiation chapters such as reforms of administrative and judicial systems should be dealt with at an early date. “We have chosen a path that is different from that in the past”, underlined Federal Chancellor Schüssel. This approach was more clearly defined but was not a manoeuvre to slow down the process. In the future more attention would be attached to the concerns of the citizens as well as to the strategic significance of enlargement for cohesion in the Union, stated Schüssel.
A cordial welcome had been extended to the new Member States Romania and Bulgaria, which will officially join the EU on 1 January 2007. As far as Turkey was concerned, the meeting had been “very calm” thanks to the foreign ministers’ previous agreement to suspend negotiations on some chapters. Schüssel reiterated that he wanted to incorporate a referendum about Turkey’s possible EU accession in the coalition agreement with the Social Democrats (SPÖ). ■

On 1 January 2007 Vienna will become the seat of the new EU Fundamental Rights Agency. This decision has been adopted by the EU ministers of the interior in Brussels on 6 December 2006.
The EU Fundamental Rights Agency will replace the previous European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia in Europe (EUMC), which has also been located in Vienna. The new Agency will be responsible for providing advice on developing and implementing EU decisions related to human rights. It will also monitor the effects of EU activities on human rights. The mandate of the Agency to examine judicial and police cooperation among the EU Member States is not binding but is based on voluntary consultation by the Member States.
Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik praised the Agency as a “plus for human rights protection in the European Union“. It would bridge a gap in Europe’s human rights protection system. The new EU Fundamental Rights Agency would support the EU institutions and the Member States in creating and implementing EU legislation and thus contribute to the observance of fundamental rights by the EU. “The aim of the Agency is an EU that conforms to all fundamental rights and is close to the citizens. This will certainly entail a value-added for the individual citizens“, said Plassnik. One of its priorities will be to monitor racism and xenophobia, a task previously performed by the Vienna-based EUMC.
The future Agency would be provided with new tools to ensure a speedy adoption of EU fundamental rights standards by the candidate countries and the Western Balkan states. “This agreement is therefore an important step to promote the observance of human rights and thus stability in our neighbourhood”, stressed Plassnik.
With regard to the International Human Rights Day on 10 December Plassnik explained: “The firm commitment to better human rights protection is a permanent mandate to all of us and a key target of Austria’s foreign policy.“ Austria – together with the EU – would continue to act as an advocate of people in need and danger. A main concern was the combat against human rights violations inflicted on women. ■

Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik explained on 11 December 2006 that “all attempts to foster intolerance and anti-Semitism” had to be rejected “clearly and emphatically” by the entire community of nations. In Austria the denial and belittlement of the NS genocide was a criminal offence. ■

The battle to acquire BAWAG/PSK has been decided. The syndicate of bidders around the US fund Cerberus (New York) has been awarded the bid by the Austrian Federation of Trade Unions (ÖGB). This has been announced by ÖGB President Rudolf Hundstorfer in the evening of 14 December 2006. The price for the trade union bank is said to amount to 3.2 billion euro but this has not been confirmed officially. Out of this amount 2.6 billion euro are to go directly to the ÖGB, the remaining 600 million euro to BAWAG. This ensures the survival of the ÖGB. With the proceeds of the sale the debts of 2.34 billion euro can be covered and the federal government’s guarantee will not take effect. In a first reaction the Minister of Finance stated to be “highly pleased” about the sale. The guarantee was issued by the Republic of Austria to cushion the dramatic effects of a series of scandals involving speculative deals in the Caribbean and Refco, which threw BAWAG into disarray this spring. Without the guarantee, the bank could not have prepared its annual financial statements and would have collapsed.
BAWAG CEO Ewald Nowotny commented the so far greatest deal in the Austrian banking history: “Cerberus has submitted the most attractive bid. Vienna will host the European headquarters of the US fund. The bank will be strengthened and the ÖGB will be able to cover its debts. BAWAG is expected to be sold in an initial public offering in five to six years.
Cerberus comprises investors such as Österreichische Post AG (with 1300 P.S.K branches previously shared with BAWAG), the insurer Generali Versicherung and the mortgage bank Bausparkasse Wüstenrot as well as a group of private investors around industrialist and former minister of finance Hannes Androsch. Thus the Austrian identity of the bank and the jobs of about 6000 employees were safeguarded, stressed Nowotny. A job guarantee for several years by Cerberus has also been decisive for awarding the bid, confirmed ÖGB President Hundstorfer. Post AG plans to acquire a stake of up to 10%, the group around Androsch is said to participate with 5% in Austria’s fifth-largest credit institution.
The bank would not be dissolved, assured Nowotny highlighting the bright prospects for the future. BAWAG would be re-valued as the European headquarters of the Cerberus group’s financial transactions. Cerberus itself announced its plans to merge BAWAG with the European operations of “GM-Bank”, which it has recently taken over.
After finalising the take-over, new members will be appointed to the Supervisory Board, among them Cerberus boss and former US minister of finance John Snow as the President and co-investor Hannes Androsch. Ewald Nowotny is to remain BAWAG boss. ■

In its annual report on economic reforms of the EU Member States (catchwords: Lisbon strategy, partnership for growth and employment), the European Commission attested Austria “good progress” in implementing national reform programmes.
Austria’s use of renewable energies was hailed. In this area Austria could “inspire” the other Member States. The report also stressed Austria’s efforts to cut the administrative costs of small and medium-sized enterprises. ■

In a three-country comparison Austria boasts the best reform results also this year. Other than in Germany and Switzerland, national reforms have had such a positive long-term effect that Austria remains the number one. The result of the current “D-A-CH Barometer” (the D-A-CH countries are Germany, Austria, Switzerland) was presented in Berlin on 4 December 2006.
The political reforms in the areas of labour market, social security as well as taxes and finances were assessed. Scoring 114.5 points, Austria is leading ahead of Germany (109.2 points) and Switzerland (103.4 points). Registering an economic growth of more than 3.1%, 2006 has been the most successful year for Austria in the recent past. According to the Barometer, one of the most positive characteristics of the Austrian economy continued to be the comparatively low unemployment. ■

The Jewish Hakoah sports club returns to the Prater park in Vienna. On 11 December 2006 President of the Jewish Religious Community (IKG) Ariel Muzicant and Vienna’s Chief Rabbi Paul Eisenberg, together with Minister of the Interior Liese Prokop, Vienna’s Vice-Mayor und City Councillor for Finances Sepp Rieder and the Federal Party Spokesman of the Greens, Alexander Van der Bellen, laid foundation stones for a complex to include a school, sports facilities and a housing construction at Simon-Wiesenthal-Gasse 1. Muzicant emphasised that with this project Europe’s largest Jewish centre was created.
The Hakoah sports club was founded in 1909. It was an “all-round” club for sports like football, hockey, water sports, track-and-field sports and handball. Among its famous members were star kicker Béla Guttmann, later playing for the New York Giants and legendary coach of Benfica in Lisbon as well as the writer, swimmer and water-polo player Friedrich Torberg (author of “Der Schüler Gerber“/”Pupil Gerber” and “Die Tante Jolesch“/”Aunt Jolesch).
In the 1930s Hakoah had 6,000 members. In 1938 the property of the club near the Ernst Happel stadium was seized (“aryanised”) by the Nazis, in 1941 the name “Hakoah” was deleted. In 1945 Hakoah was re-established. Based on the Washington Agreement of 2001 providing for the restitution of seized assets, the sports grounds were returned to the club. On the estate in Vienna’s second district “Leopoldstadt” also a four-storey building for the IKG’s Zwi Perez Chajes school will be erected. The educational centre with a kindergarten, a primary school and a grammar school has been planned for 600 children. A new building will be erected to house the Maimonides-Zentrum, a home for Jewish senior citizens, on the neighbouring estate in Wehlistraße in 2007.
The Republic of Austria and the City of Vienna have allocated about 7 million euro to the construction of the sports centre, which has been started some months ago. It will consist of a multi-purpose hall for an audience of about 260 persons and various outdoor facilities like tennis courts, track-and-field installations and a lawn for playing and resting.
The financing of an indoor swimming pool has not yet been guaranteed. Paul Haber, President of Hakoah. stated that he was confident to raise the necessary 2.25 million euro with the aid of sponsors. Austrian star swimmer Markus Rogan is a dedicated fund raiser. After deducting the costs of the sports centre, the expenditure of the project (without the land) is about 50 million euro. The main donors are the Republic of Austria and the City of Vienna, the latter contributing 20.6 million euro. Considerable sums are provided by sponsors, e.g. Frank Stronach, Martin Schlaff and Leopold Böhm. ■

The “stone house” of the Carinthian architect Günther Domenig is nearing completion. Secretary of State for Art and Media Franz Morak promised a 700,000 euro subsidy of the Republic of Austria to “one of the greatest men in Austrian architecture”. It will be the basic funding in respect of the 2 million euro that are still required.
At the same time, Domenig donates 212 graphical works as permanent loans to the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK). MAK Director Peter Noever stressed that there had always been a “very intense relation” between Domenig and MAK. In 1987, one year after the construction of the “stone house” had been started, Noever visited the site for the first time. One year later he organised the first exhibition, including a cardboard model of the building, which is still in the Museum.
Morak underlined that the architect had always been “radical and far ahead of his time”. His “Modern Architecture Centre” in Steindorf on Ossiachersee is to be further developed with the support of the Republic. The five-storey building has a useful surface of 850 m2. It will also be used as a venue in the framework of the Carinthian Summer Festival, as has already been the case on several occasions. ■

On 12 December 2006 the media organisation “Reporters without Borders” (Reporters sans frontieres/RSF) awarded its human rights prize for the commitment to the freedom of the press and of speech to journalist Win Tin from Myanmar, who has been imprisoned for “subversion and government-hostile propaganda” for 17 years, the Russian newspaper “Novaya Gazeta“, the Congolese journalists’ organisation “Journa¬liste en danger“ (JED) and cyber-dissident Guillermo Fariñas Hernández from Cuba, head of the news agency Cubanacan Press, who advocates free access to the Internet for Cubans. The awards were presented by RSF President Fernando Costello. “This press freedom prize is dedicated to all those courageous journalists who advocate the freedom of the press and of speech”, said Rubina Möhring, President of Reporters without Borders Austria.
The newspaper “Novaya Gazeta“ has been in the centre of public attention in early October, when its critical journalist Anna Politkovskaya was shot dead in Moscow. According to the RSF, the newspaper addressed taboo subjects such as corruption in administration or human rights violations in Chechnya. On 14 December 2006 the journalist was commemorated at Akademiethe¬ater in Vienna in the ceremony “In memoriam Anna Politkovskaya“. ■

The author, journalist and translator of Polish literature, Martin Pollack, born in Bad Hall (Upper Austria) in 1944, receives the “Prize Promoting Austro-Polish Relations 2006“. The decision was taken by a Polish-Austrian jury meeting on 1 December 2006 in Vienna. The official awards ceremony will take place in Warsaw in April 2007.
Martin Pollack lived in Poland during several stays for study purposes. Until 1988 he was the editor of the German weekly “Der Spiegel“. He is inter alia the translator of Polish author Ryszard Kapuscinski.
In Pollack’s literary creation the Polish living space has repeatedly played a major role, e.g. in books like “Galizien“ (2001), “Von Minsk nach Manhattan. Polnische Reportagen“ and “Sarmatische Landschaften – Nachrichten aus Litauen, Belarus, der Ukraine, Polen und Deutschland“ (both 2006).
The previous “Polish-Austrian Journalists’ Prizes“ have alternated between Polish and Austrian journalists since 2001. After renaming the award “Prize Promoting Austro-Polish Relations”, competitors from culture, economy and academia were admitted for the first time in 2006. The aim of the prize offered by Bank Austria Creditanstalt is to contribute to a better mutual understanding of the political, economic and cultural life of the two countries as well as to reduce misunderstandings and prejudices. Austrians receiving the award have been Burkard Bischof, editor of the daily “Die Presse“ (2001), and his counterpart from the daily “Der Standard“, Josef Kirchengast (2003). ■

The Vienna Museum of Natural History presents a special exhibition with the most famous bog bodies of the world shipped to Vienna in climate chambers, e.g. the Yde Girl (Netherlands), Red Franz (Germany) and the Tollund Man (Denmark). Their bodies were buried in the moor more than 1000 years ago and were preserved due to a chemically acid ambience. The peat moss (Sphagnum) inhibits the microbiological growth of bacteria disintegrating organic substances such as wood or leather. While the skeleton is often lacking as the lime dissolved in the peat, the skin, hair, sometimes even the stomach, intestines or brains were preserved. Humic and tannic acids conserved them, including cartilage and nails. Thus bogs can fulfil the functions of archives.
In the sensational exhibition more than 400 archaeological finds give insight into the every-day lives and religious beliefs of the Europeans from Stone Age to the Middle Ages. ■

Galleria Nazio¬nale d’Arte Moderna in Rome stages the first great exhibition in Italy about the work of Adolf Loos (1870-1933). A major contribution to this show running until 11 February 2007 and displaying 190 exhibits –including drawings, models, photos of the epoch – was made by the Austrian Historical Institute (Österreichisches Historisches Institut/ÖHI) in Rome headed by professor Richard Bösel. The ÖHI is responsible for initiating the exhibition, the exhibition concept, academic coordination and for issuing the catalogue. The loan exhibits come from the Albertina, other museums in Vienna and private collectors.
The exhibition titled “architettura – utilità e decoro“ gives the Italian public the first opportunity to see numerous architectural designs and buildings of the Austrian architect, which are characteristic of the different stages of development of his oeuvre. Visionary projects, which Loos never realised but with which he participated in international competitions, as well as his famous buildings in Vienna (e.g. the building at Michaelerplatz, the premises for the company Knize at Graben, Café Museum at Karlsplatz and housing estates like the “Werkbundsiedlung” in Vienna’s district Hietzing) can be admired. ■

The Vienna Festival 2007 offers a programme with 41 productions from 20 countries (from 11 May to 19 June 2007).
The motto of the theatre programme is William Shakespeare’s phrase: “All the world is stage“. 28 stage productions can be watched, 12 of which are co-productions and 16 guest performances. Festival manager Luc Bondy will produce Shakespeare’s “King Lear“ at Burgtheater, with Gert Voss playing the lead. Peter Zadek will mount a production of “Twelfth Night“ at Theater Akzent. Lemi Ponifasio’s interpretation of “Tempest – Sturm“ is performed in Maori and Tahitian language. The ancient world plays a major role in the festival presenting Euripides’ “The Trojan Women” at Schauspielhaus, and Ad de Bont’s “The Odyssey“ based on Homer “for audiences aged 12 and over” at MuseumsQuartier (MQ). The MQ will also be the venue of Frank Castorf’s production of Louis-Fer¬dinand Céline’s “North“ as well as of Bert Brecht’s “Baal“, expressively enacted by the young French theatre ensemble Le d’ores et déjà around director Sylvain Creuzevault. Moreover, the MQ offers “Gatz“, a dramatic marathon reading in two parts with a total duration of eight hours of the novel “The Great Gatsby“ by Francis Scott Fitzgerald.
Vienna and its people are in the limelight of two productions: “151 Meters above the Sea Level“ explores the subconscious. City dwellers strolling through their city documented their thoughts. “Het blauwe uur – The Blue Hour“ in a “street in Vienna” is to sensitise theatregoers as late or as early as 3 a.m. – as Dutch director Lotte van den Berg put it – to “encounters in the twilight”. People appear, they sit down, have coffee, and disappear again.
“Into the City“ is an invitation to get to know different aspects of the city. In the framework of this festival on the outskirts of Vienna, a Balkan boat party on the Danube Channel as well as a “Mystery Tour“ with young bands are organised.
The music drama section of the programme dedicates a series of concerts to the composer Leoš Janáček from Moravia. His opera “From the House of the Dead“ is directed by Pierre Boulez and performed in the version of Patrice Chéreau at Theater an der Wien. A new production is “This is Not A Love Song“, a music performance “in the tradition of the lyrical lieder of Schubert and Schu¬mann; produced by the young Ulrich Rasche. ■

Bawag Foundation (Vienna) presents the latest work of South African artist Candice Breitz: the looped 25-channel video installation “Working Class Hero (A Portrait of John Lennon)“ (on show until 28 February 2007). In his first solo album “Plastic Ono Band“ (1970) ex-Beatle Lennon – undergoing treatment with psychiatrist Arthur Janov, father of the Primal Scream theory – explored the traumata of his life: the unfulfilled love to his father, the death of his mother, his search for an identity. 25 Lennon fans from England, Wales, Scotland, Japan, Italy and the USA re-perform a cappella the 40-minute album, crying out their hurts and dreams. They were filmed in a dark studio by a cameraman who remained invisible to them. The drama of their singing from the bottom of their hearts has a momentous impact, and they resemble an ancient choir in a play of Aeschylus. A close examination of the faces reveals the individuality and social situation of the protagonists. The relation between global culture and its local manifestations has already been traced by Breitz in her portraits of Bob Marley, Michael Jackson and Madonna. ■

In line with the motto of TOP SPORT AUSTRIA (TSA) “more Olympic winners, more world champions and more international top achievements”, in the record year 2006 more athletes of more federal sports clubs for special disciplines received more budget funds. In the fourth quarterly meeting of the decision-making body of TSA a total amount of 513,000 euro has been earmarked for subsidies. In 2006 404 athletes of 35 federal sports clubs for special disciplines were supported with 2,685,500 euro. “This level of subsidies has set a new record, both in terms of the number of athletes and sports clubs supported“, Secretary of State for Sports Karl Schweitzer was pleased to state. “And the number of medals won corresponds to this performance curve and confirms that we are on the right way. For all medallists of Athens and Turin and about 90 percent of all the athletes participating were granted support by TSA“. The total amount of subsidies has been distributed over four programmes: “TOP-LEVEL SPORT“ (1,192,000 euro) and “OLYMPIA“ (983,000 euro) to facilitate the preparations of international large-scale sports events, “HOPE“ (126,500 euro) dedicated to the long-term support of young talents to prepare them for the Olympic Winter Games 2008, 2010, 2012 and “CADRE SUBSIDIES“ (384,000 euro), a performance-oriented incentive for athletes nominated for the elite cadre. The concept “TSA” was developed in 2001 based on the idea that competitive sports, due their strong media presence, are an enormous publicity for the country and thus an important economic factor. Moreover, they convey idealistic values such as team spirit, fairness and willingness to achieve. The subsidies are not used for the basic financing of these clubs but exclusively for implementing athlete-specific, top-level projects. ■

The association “2008 – Österreich am Ball“ (the name literally meaning: “Austria has the ball”) presented a compact set of measures to kindle enthusiasm for the EURO 2008 in as many Austrians as possible. The concept comprises events, activities for the economy and fans, exhibitions, joint projects with schools. Its aim is to create an overall positive atmosphere for the European Football Championship 2008 in Austria and Switzerland. “We want to create a programme stimulating an optimum level of enthusiasm”, explained Susanne Riess-Passer, President of the association. The association was founded in March 2006 to promote public awareness of the EURO 2008, to draw attention to it and emphasise the importance of the event going definitely beyond sport. Heinz Palme has been appointed managing director of the association on 1 October 2006. Palme, who gathered valuable experience as the General Coordinator of the World Cup in Germany in summer, is also the federal government’s coordinator. “We will lend our strong support to EURO 2008 throughout 2007. There is a basic interest in the population, we have an opportunity of stirring euphoria and taking advantage of positive economic effects”, explained Palme. He added: “Jetzt geht's los!“ (“Go ahead!”), alluding to the series of events with this title. “It is not only a large-scale sports event but hopefully also an economic highlight”, said Karl Stoss, chief of the Austrian Lotteries and head of the association. He wants to help making the final tournament of the European Championship a national concern by involving the economy, art and culture, schools, associations, tourism and above all the population, whose enthusiasm is to be aroused with special offers and contests. The association “2008 - Österreich am Ball“ is one of three pillars (besides EURO 2008 SA organising the event and the ÖFB [Austrian Football Federation] as the host). Besides Riess-Passer and Stoss, ÖFB Secretary General Alfred Ludwig, former ÖFB President Beppo Mauhart, lawyer Herbert Hübel and Alois Grill are members of the board. Every second week the “three pillars” exchange information on the latest developments. “It will become a success, I’m 100 percent sure”, stated Palme. ■