Tag Archives: Sebastian Kurz

Tusk congratulates Kurz with spectacular victory

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“On behalf of the European Council I would like to congratulate you on your spectacular victory in the recent election. Your official tasking today to form a new government is a reflection of the victory and I wish you every success in this endeavour.

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“Your past contributions to our work in the European Council have been much appreciated and I trust that the future Austrian government will continue to play an important and constructive role in the European Union.“

Daul believes in Austria ÖVP swift recovery

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The president of the European People’s Party (EPP) Joseph Daul expressed his gratitude to ousted Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (pictured) for his “excellent” work aimed at implementing reforms agenda. Daul is also “convinced” that Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) will achieve new victories in next elections. (Image above: archive).

The EPP president has every reason to thank chancellor Kurz for his contribution to the European elections. The ÖVP celebrated victory receiving one third of the votes (34,9%). “A landslide victory-the best outcome for the People’s Party in an EU election ever. Thank you very much to the voters for the trust and support for our work!” Kurz said at eve of this downfall.

However the electoral success did not prevent Kurz downfall in non-confidence parliament vote over Ibiza-gate scandal.

As the scandal broke, Kurz sacked Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache of the Freedom Party (FPO), the leaked video’s leading protagonist. The other FPO ministers walked out and Kurz replaced them with technocrats. However the whirlwind was too strong to keep grip on power: the former government allies – the disgraced FPO turned against Kurz joining Social Democratic party  in blaming chancellor for the degradation of the Austrian politics.

In his statement after the downfall Kurz underlined that ensuring stability in the coming month is the most important. He was sheered by his supporters, who believe that he will make a huge leap back into politics in unt

AMENDED: To chants of “Chancellor Kurz” outside party offices, the People’s Party leader pledged that “the changes that we began two years ago will not end today”, the Public radio reports.

Kurz said “in the end the people will decide in September and I’m happy about that.”

He criticized his former coalition partner Freedom Party (FPO) and the opposition Social Democrats, saying from them “we have only heard one thing, that Kurz must go, that’s the only platform of those two parties and I’m afraid to say I must disappoint them both: I’m still here.”

 

Austria Kurz considers Brexit delay

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Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said that it would be preferable to postpone Brexit if Westminster failed to back at the beginning of March the Article 50 deal negotiated with Brussels. However he continues to defend the endorsed by the EU27 agreement, as a ‘good’ deal. (Image: illustration).

“If there is at the beginning of March no support for the deal we have, then I think it would be good to postpone the Brexit,” Austrian leader told reporters upon his arrival to a summit of EU and Arab League leaders in Sharm el-Sheikh.

Meanwhile Prime Minister Theresa May promised to offer Westminster a vote on her Article 50 deal by March 12 in the her last bid to win approval for a plan to ensure orderly departure from the European Union on March 29.

Di Maio for Europarliament Single Seat

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Deputy Prime minister of Italy Luigi di Maio criticises the EU for squandering public money, while using two seats for the European Parliament in Brussels for groups and committees meetings, and in Strasbourg exclusively for the Plenary one week a month, while three weeks the building stays empty.

Till present around 1,5 million citizens singed a petition for Single seat, and the campaigners say that two thirds of MEPs support their demand. The Single Seat campaign is chaired by Anna Maria Corazza Bildt MEP (Moderaterna, Sweden), and 5 Vice-Chairs from the Parliament’s main political groups.

“This Parliament has been voting across political and national boundaries, constantly regularly for a single seat of the European Parliament. We want to be able to decide when and where to meet. Chancellor Angela Merkel and Sebastian Kurz showed leadership last year and took a clear public position in favour of one location for the European Parliament” Anna Maria Corazza Bildt said, while debating in Strasbourg with Spanish Prime minister Pedro Sanchez on January 16 in the framework of the “Future of Europe” cycle.

single seatHowever successive French governments have declined the claim of the campaigners to give up Strasbourg, insisting the city is a symbol of the reunification of Europe after the World War II, and its status as the seat of the European Parliament is enshrined in the EU treaty. “It was not France that unilaterally decided to place the seat in Strasbourg. It is a symbol of the French-German reconciliation on which Europe is built,” insists MEP Anne Sander (EPP, France).

 

Strasbourg Europarl in lock down after shooting

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Europeans Parliament in lock down after Christmas market shooting in Strasbourg. Reported one dead and four injured. Details to follow.

AMENDNED: According to press reports there are two dead and 11 ‘hurt’, it is unclear if they are are wounded or they have accidental injures in the cause of the incident. The inhabitants of Strasbourg are advised to stay home.

German media reports two killed and 11 ‘injured’, and the perpetrator ‘at large‘. He has a criminal, non-terrorist record. The prosecutors has opened terrorist probe.

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, who chairs the European Council rotating Presidency, expressed his sympathy to the victims, and underlined the determination to stand by the European values, condemning the attack.

The President of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani expressed his condolences to the victims, and ensured the MEPs will be not intimidated by the attack, and “move on”.

“We will continue to work, and react strengthened by freedom and democracy against terrorist violence”.

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AMENDED:  European Parliament president Antonio Tajani summoned MEPs on the situation in Strasbourg.

Kurz aims to improve EU-Russia relations

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Vienna perceives easing tensions between the European Union and Russia as its priority task for 2019 to ensure long-term peace in Europe in cooperation with Russia, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said at press conference, dedicated to the Austrian cabinet’s activities.

“Easing tensions in relations with Russia will be a major foreign policy challenge for us in the European Union, as well as ensuring de-escalation in the Ukrainian conflict because it is only possible to ensure long-term peace on our continent by cooperating with Russia, and not by opposing Russia,” he said in response to a question about Vienna’s priority tasks for 2019.

According to Kurz, adopting EU measures to ensure fair and free global trade will be Austria’s second priority. “The second big foreign policy challenge is that as a small export-oriented country, we need fair and free global trade, so the United States’ doubts in this regard pose a threat to Europe and Austria in particular. This is why we, the European Union, need to try to do everything possible to make sure that we have fair and free global trade in the future,” Kurz added.

 

Lavrov “unpleasant surprise” of Austria spy scandal

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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said it was an “unpleasant surprise” in absence of any request from Vienna for  explanations over the affair of a retired Austrian army colonel who had allegedly spied for Moscow.

“This was an unpleasant surprise to me. It has been a custom from time immemorial for any country that feels some concerns or suspicions over actions by another country to ask for explanations directly in accordance with the rules of international communication. Lately, our Western counterparts have made it a rule not to use traditional methods but rather megaphone diplomacy.They accuse us in public and then demand public explanations over an issue we know nothing about,” Lavrov underlined, according to TASS News Agency.

“It is essential to follow the rules that have been shaped in the process of international communication. We have invited Austria’s ambassador to the Foreign Ministry. We will draw his attention to what methods should be used, if they have any questions for Russia,” Lavrov added.

Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said at press conference that the 70-year-old army official, now retired, is suspected to have begun working with Russian intelligence in the 1990s and carried on until 2018, for three decades.

The public prosecutor’s office in Salzburg province confirmed the colonel is under investigation for the crime of revealing state secrets.

 

 

 

 

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