© SPÖ

26. 05. 09. - 16:00

• more General News news
• RSS Feed General News

26. 05. 09. - 16:00

Voves to head Styrian SPÖ working group on taxes

Styrian Social Democratic (SPÖ) Governor Franz Voves said yesterday (Mon) he would head a new provincial party working-group on tax reform.

Voves, who has stimulated ongoing national debate about a possible tax on assets and foundations, will head a group who will look into ways to make the Austrian tax system "more just".

The governor said the working group should have only three-to-five members and use outside experts when needed.

Voves said: "No one will stop us from taking this path." He declined to respond to a question about the provincial working group’s impact on the work of the SPÖ’s national working group on taxes.

The governor, however, was left red-faced recently after it emerged his party’s assets were all held in a foundation, and his political opponents shed doubt on the logic behind his own tax proposals and the credibility of his party.

Officials at the People’s Party (ÖVP), a coalition partner of the SPÖ at the federal level and in Styria, said Voves had been "praising water but drinking wine".

The ÖVP officials added that the provincial ÖVP had no money managed by foundations and called on the SPÖ to make its financial situation public.

Voves had been hailed as the SPÖ’s "new Robin Hood" after he said it was unacceptable that people with low incomes and middle-class Austrians should have to pay for the mistakes of banks and speculators.

Austrian Times

Bulgarian cigarette smugglers arrested
Two Bulgarians have been arrested after trying to smuggle more than 35,000 cartons of cigarettes to the UK.

ChemFreight acquires Logwin's Krems facility
Goods transport firm ChemFreight Transport, Logistik & Waggonvermietung GmbH said today (Tues) it had bought freight firm Logwin’s facility in Krems, Lower Austria, after approval of the deal by the Austrian competition authority.

Crooks behind 47 Styrian robberies arrested
Crooks behind almost 50 burglaries in Styria have been arrested, police said today (Tues).

Beer quarrel ends in axe murder
A 20-year-old hacked his mum’s boyfriend to death with an axe in after accusing him of drinking his beer, police have said.

Artec starts bankruptcy proceedings
Machine builder Artec Maschinenbau GmbH entered bankruptcy proceedings today (Tues) in Upper Austria, according to the Credit Protection Agency of 1870 (KSV) and Creditreform.

Inner tube sledge girl seriously injured
A nine-year-old is in hospital with serious injuries after she crashed into a tree as she sledged on a tyre’s inner tube.

Post to pay employees huge bonus for police work
The Austrian postal service (Post) is to pay its employees a bonus of 10,000 Euros to transfer to police work, according to today’s (Tues) edition of the newspaper Salzburger Nachrichten.

Flight bookings up
Travel agencies have reported an increase in flight bookings, according to booking platform Amadeus Austria.

A piece of heaven for the ice skaters
For anybody who likes ice skating and fancies something a bit different than the regular rink or the crowded location at the front of the Vienna City Hall might want to consider a visit to Engelmann.

Churches make food and car Lent call
Church leaders have called on Austrians to cut back on food and car use during Lent.