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17. 11. 09. - 16:00

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17. 11. 09. - 16:00

Pröll named sixth-best Finance Minister in Europe

By Thomas Hochwarter

People’s Party (ÖVP) Vice Chancellor Josef Pröll has been named the sixth best finance minister in the European Union (EU).

The British newspaper Financial Times, which praised Pröll for his engagement with Austrian investments in Eastern Europe, ranked the Austrian sixth after a survey of finance ministers of 19 of the EU’s 27 member states.

French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde was ranked top, with former German Finance Minister Peer Steinbrück – who has now been succeeded by Rainer Brüderle as the German Social Democrats (SPD) left the government after losing the September elections – in second place. Belgium’s Didier Reynders came third.

Irish Finance Minister Brian Lenihan came last in the Financial Times ranking.

Pröll recently said the Austrian government’s two stimulus packages and its tax reform had been a success in combating the recession.

The Finance Minister claimed the measures saved more than 40,000 jobs, adding Austria was in better shape economically than other European countries.

Austrian Times

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