• croatiantimes.com
• romaniantimes.at
• salzburgtimes.at
• viennatimes.at
• austrianindependent.com

Today

• Vienna - VESCC English Catholic Mass
• Vienna - Unknown Underground
• Vienna - Cats
• Vienna - Andy Warhol
• Vienna - Laser Tag

© SPÖ

01. 09. 10. - 15:00

• more General News news
• RSS Feed General News

01. 09. 10. - 15:00

Faymann adamant about financial transactions levy

Social Democratic (SPÖ) Chancellor Werner Faymann has pledged to press on with attempts to introduce a Europe-wide tax on financial transactions.

Faymann said today (Weds) he has agreed with other leading European Social Democrats to launch an internet platform where supporters of the idea could sign up. The SPÖ boss told Die Presse newspaper the currently developed website will be presented in autumn.

People’s Party (ÖVP) Finance Minister Josef Pröll said recently he still enjoyed being a politician despite the stress, the fragile state of the economy and negotiations about upcoming austerity measures.

But Faymann stressed today: "I don’t enjoy informing people about cuts – pensioners living on 700 Euros (a month), for example."

Pröll has remained silent about what the 2011 budget will hold, while some SPÖ officials have shown a gloves-off attitude in the debate, trying to force Faymann to convince coalition partner ÖVP that Austria must reintroduce a levy on assets.

The finance minister explained the government will continue to discuss measures to react to economic outlooks and think tanks’ predictions.

SPÖ and ÖVP already agreed on a bank tax set to help it get an extra 500 million Euros a year, while rumour has it the coalition will increase Austria’s comparably low car petrol taxation rate.

Speaking to Die Presse, Faymann ruled out a comeback of university study fees which were abolished two years ago. Asked whether he could rule out a stock exchange tax if his party failed to convince European Union (EU) leaders of a EU-wide levy on financial transactions, the chancellor said: "This would be the worse solution. But better than no solution at all."

Christoph Leitl, the conservative head of the Federal Economy Chamber (WKO), caused a stir recently by backing the SPÖ’s financial transaction tax. Leitl claimed this measure could tempt other EU member states to follow Austria’s example – while some economists and ÖVP MPs warned the Austrian economy would suffer.

Pröll meanwhile said Austria’s towns and communities must spend 800 million Euros less next year to support the government’s attempt to lower the budget deficit which reached a whopping 3.5 per cent in 2009 after just 0.4 per cent in the previous year.

Opposition leaders hit out at SPÖ and ÖVP for their decision to present 2011 budget details not before December despite the constitution enforcing governments to do so 10 weeks ahead of the affected year’s New Year’s Day.

Greens, the Freedom Party (FPÖ) and the Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ) claimed the government feared suffering losses in the provincial elections of Styria (26 September) and Vienna (10 October) if people hear of planned cuts and higher taxes before going to the polls.

Austrian Times

Related articles: EU

1. Pecik defends TA engagement

   » Business 2012-05-24

   Telekom Austria (TA) investor Ronny Pecik has declared himself a team player.

2. IV demands focus on industry in crisis

   » Business 2012-05-24

   The general secretary of the Federation of Austrian Industries (IV) has appealed on Europe’s political leaders to strengthen the continent’s industry.

3. FW turnover takes off

   » Business 2012-05-24

   Austria’s biggest airport has managed to increase its profit.

more related articles tagged "EU"

Related articles: election news

1. BZÖ ends Stronach speculations

   » General News 2012-05-18

   The Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ) has finally dismissed the circulating rumours about teaming up with a billionaire businessman.

2. Foreign minister rules out stop of support for Greece

   » General News 2012-05-18

   Austrian Vice Chancellor Michael Spindelegger has promised that the European Union (EU) will not let Greece down.

3. BZÖ farewell possible, poll shows

   » General News 2012-05-17

   The chances of the Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ) to avoid dropping out of parliament are waning, according to a new poll.

more related articles tagged "election news"

Related articles: crisis

1. Coalition accelerates anti-corruption ambitions

   » General News 2012-05-24

   The government is intensifying its attempts to pass a transparency package in parliament.

2. Pecik defends TA engagement

   » Business 2012-05-24

   Telekom Austria (TA) investor Ronny Pecik has declared himself a team player.

3. IV demands focus on industry in crisis

   » Business 2012-05-24

   The general secretary of the Federation of Austrian Industries (IV) has appealed on Europe’s political leaders to strengthen the continent’s industry.

more related articles tagged "crisis"

Turks flattened by lone asylum seeker
A furious Nigerian went on the rampage at a refuge for asylum seekers in Leibnitz, attacking several people and damaging property.

Woman bites toddler
A woman who bit a two-year-old tot during a road rage row with her mother is being quizzed by police in Wiener Neustadt, Austria.

New Dany Boon comedy to be filmed in Austria
The French film star Dany Boon, one of the highest paid actors in Europe after his hit film "Welcome to the Sticks", is filming in Salzburg.

China meets Hallstatt
After a long time of speculation and anticipation the exact copy of Austrian world heritage village of Hallstatt-Dachstein in China will be unveiled, and there will be real-life Austrians present for the ceremony.

Skier in court after accident
A man from Graz is in court today accused of having inflicted negligent injury upon a five-year-old when skiing in Carinthia last year.

Two fires in Ottakring claim one life
Two fires started on Thursday evening in the Vienna district of Ottakring, one of which claimed a man’s life. Several people were evacuated as a result of the two blazes.

Cows zapped to death by lightning
Four cows were zapped to death after a lightning strike hit the barbed wire fence they were leaning on in Reith im Alpbachtal, Austria.

Wolf babies born in Schönbrunn
These cuddly Artic wolf cubs have got every right to look a bit frosty - after they emerged into the world for the first time in the middle of a 27 degree heatwave.

Cleaned Out
A Hungarian cleaning woman who stole tens of thousands of pounds worth of antique jewellery from an Austrian Countess and then sold it for "pocket money" unaware of its real value has been jailed by a court in Austria.

Great expectations for summer tourism season in Vorarlberg
The Vorarlberg tourism industry is currently riding high after a record breaking winter season, and the summer season is expected to follow that same trend.

Jobs in Austria