Today in Austria: A roundup of the latest news on Monday
Temperatures to hit 30 degrees, Covid-19 infections back to January levels, calls for EU to fix electricity pricing and more news on Monday.
It’s going to hit 30 degrees this week as summer comes to Austria
Temperatures will hit the 30-degree mark in Austria for the first time this year on Wednesday or Thursday, with Tyrol, Lower Austria and Burgenland seeing the highest temperatures. However, on Thursday afternoon there is a chance of rain showers or thunderstorms in mountainous areas.
According to broadcaster ORF, climate change means it’s getting hotter earlier every year in Austria. According to the Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics Austria used to hit its first temperatures of 30 degrees on May 30th (on average) between 1961 to 1990.
There are also a huge number of trees coming into blossom due to the warm temperatures, with ORF commenting hazel, sloe and bird cherry trees are endowed with an “enormous abundance” of flowers this year.
Covid-19 infection numbers at lowest value since mid January
There were 3,617 new cases of Covid-19 reported on Sunday, as many as in mid-January. Just 946 Covid patients are in hospital (81 in intensive care units), a drop of 37 compared to the previous week. The federal state with the highest seven-day incidence is currently Lower Austria with 547.8, followed by Vienna, Burgenland and Upper Austria (538.1, 499 and 349.9 respectively). This is followed by Salzburg (323.6), Vorarlberg (304.8), Carinthia (290.1), Styria (276.1) and Tyrol (267.1).
Austria is close to recording 20,000 deaths during the Covid-19 pandemic, with 19,792 recorded so far.
Austria calls for EU to change electricity pricing
The President of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKO), Harald Mahrer (ÖVP), has spoken out in favour of a temporary change to the way electricity pricing is calculated in Austria. Mahrer said European regulations were needed, as the electricity price exchange did not respect national borders.
The price for a megawatt hour of electricity is currently determined on the electricity exchange using a special auction process, the merit order. This means that the most expensive power plant needed to meet the demand for electricity determines the price. These are currently gas-fired power plants, which, due to very high gas prices, has led to a sharp increase in the price of electricity – even if it is generated with hydropower, broadcaster ORF reports.
This form of pricing "in the current situation leads to an electricity price development that is incomprehensible to many", especially since Austria's electricity generation comes largely from renewable energy sources", Mahrer said.
Ukrainian community commemorate end of the Second World War
On Sunday, at a demonstration on Vienna's Schwarzenbergplatz, the Ukrainian community and guest speakers from Austria commemorated the 77th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Participants listened to a speech by President Volodymyr Zelenskyj which also drew parallels to the current war in Ukraine.
Der 8. Mai war ein Tag der Hoffnung für viele Menschen – denn an diesem Tag endete die NS-Schreckensherrschaft. Es ist unsere Pflicht, uns mit diesen Gräueltaten zu konfrontieren. Denn es liegt an uns, die Namen aller Menschen, die gequält & ermordet wurden, niemals zu vergessen. pic.twitter.com/wHjd6nXB46
— Karl Nehammer (@karlnehammer) May 8, 2022
"During the Second World War, unfortunately, many Austrians committed numerous war crimes in Ukraine as part of the Wehrmacht and SS units," former Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg said in a speech pre-recorded for the demonstration. He said now was the opportunity to pay off this debt of fathers and grandfathers, and pleaded for generosity towards Ukraine and Ukrainians.
The Ukrainian community will continue their demonstration on Schwarzenbergplatz today (Monday). The site in Vienna where the Soviet Heroes' Monument is located has traditionally been used by the Russian community for commemorative events on May 9th, the Soviet Victory Day.
Planned expansion of EU to include Balkans
Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP) is pushing ahead with his agenda to keep reminding the European Union of a planned expansion to include the Western Balkan states. Over the weekend he paid a visit to Sofia and Skopje to address the problem that EU member Bulgaria is blocking the start of accession negotiations with North Macedonia, broadcaster ORF reports.
Schallenberg gave an interview in the Financial Times last week in which he called for the EU to give neighbouring countries quick access to "parts of the internal market".
Final chance to sign seven referendums
Today, seven petitions for a referendum can still be signed online or in one of the approximately 2,000 registration offices. You can choose from a "rule of law and anti-corruption referendum", "mandatory vaccination vote: Respect no", "No to compulsory vaccination", "Stop live animal transport agony", "Increase unemployment benefit" and "Implement unconditional basic income".
The petitions must gather 100,000 signatures to be guaranteed a discussion in parliament. The anti-corruption referendum has already cleared this hurdle.
All Austrians who are registered in an electoral register are entitled to sign the petition. The Ministry of the Interior will announce this evening how much support the seven requests have received.
READ MORE: Universal income and vaccinations: What’s at stake in Austria’s petition week?
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It’s going to hit 30 degrees this week as summer comes to Austria
Temperatures will hit the 30-degree mark in Austria for the first time this year on Wednesday or Thursday, with Tyrol, Lower Austria and Burgenland seeing the highest temperatures. However, on Thursday afternoon there is a chance of rain showers or thunderstorms in mountainous areas.
According to broadcaster ORF, climate change means it’s getting hotter earlier every year in Austria. According to the Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics Austria used to hit its first temperatures of 30 degrees on May 30th (on average) between 1961 to 1990.
There are also a huge number of trees coming into blossom due to the warm temperatures, with ORF commenting hazel, sloe and bird cherry trees are endowed with an “enormous abundance” of flowers this year.
Covid-19 infection numbers at lowest value since mid January
There were 3,617 new cases of Covid-19 reported on Sunday, as many as in mid-January. Just 946 Covid patients are in hospital (81 in intensive care units), a drop of 37 compared to the previous week. The federal state with the highest seven-day incidence is currently Lower Austria with 547.8, followed by Vienna, Burgenland and Upper Austria (538.1, 499 and 349.9 respectively). This is followed by Salzburg (323.6), Vorarlberg (304.8), Carinthia (290.1), Styria (276.1) and Tyrol (267.1).
Austria is close to recording 20,000 deaths during the Covid-19 pandemic, with 19,792 recorded so far.
Austria calls for EU to change electricity pricing
The President of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKO), Harald Mahrer (ÖVP), has spoken out in favour of a temporary change to the way electricity pricing is calculated in Austria. Mahrer said European regulations were needed, as the electricity price exchange did not respect national borders.
The price for a megawatt hour of electricity is currently determined on the electricity exchange using a special auction process, the merit order. This means that the most expensive power plant needed to meet the demand for electricity determines the price. These are currently gas-fired power plants, which, due to very high gas prices, has led to a sharp increase in the price of electricity – even if it is generated with hydropower, broadcaster ORF reports.
This form of pricing "in the current situation leads to an electricity price development that is incomprehensible to many", especially since Austria's electricity generation comes largely from renewable energy sources", Mahrer said.
Ukrainian community commemorate end of the Second World War
On Sunday, at a demonstration on Vienna's Schwarzenbergplatz, the Ukrainian community and guest speakers from Austria commemorated the 77th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Participants listened to a speech by President Volodymyr Zelenskyj which also drew parallels to the current war in Ukraine.
Der 8. Mai war ein Tag der Hoffnung für viele Menschen – denn an diesem Tag endete die NS-Schreckensherrschaft. Es ist unsere Pflicht, uns mit diesen Gräueltaten zu konfrontieren. Denn es liegt an uns, die Namen aller Menschen, die gequält & ermordet wurden, niemals zu vergessen. pic.twitter.com/wHjd6nXB46
— Karl Nehammer (@karlnehammer) May 8, 2022
"During the Second World War, unfortunately, many Austrians committed numerous war crimes in Ukraine as part of the Wehrmacht and SS units," former Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg said in a speech pre-recorded for the demonstration. He said now was the opportunity to pay off this debt of fathers and grandfathers, and pleaded for generosity towards Ukraine and Ukrainians.
The Ukrainian community will continue their demonstration on Schwarzenbergplatz today (Monday). The site in Vienna where the Soviet Heroes' Monument is located has traditionally been used by the Russian community for commemorative events on May 9th, the Soviet Victory Day.
Planned expansion of EU to include Balkans
Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP) is pushing ahead with his agenda to keep reminding the European Union of a planned expansion to include the Western Balkan states. Over the weekend he paid a visit to Sofia and Skopje to address the problem that EU member Bulgaria is blocking the start of accession negotiations with North Macedonia, broadcaster ORF reports.
Schallenberg gave an interview in the Financial Times last week in which he called for the EU to give neighbouring countries quick access to "parts of the internal market".
Final chance to sign seven referendums
Today, seven petitions for a referendum can still be signed online or in one of the approximately 2,000 registration offices. You can choose from a "rule of law and anti-corruption referendum", "mandatory vaccination vote: Respect no", "No to compulsory vaccination", "Stop live animal transport agony", "Increase unemployment benefit" and "Implement unconditional basic income".
The petitions must gather 100,000 signatures to be guaranteed a discussion in parliament. The anti-corruption referendum has already cleared this hurdle.
All Austrians who are registered in an electoral register are entitled to sign the petition. The Ministry of the Interior will announce this evening how much support the seven requests have received.
READ MORE: Universal income and vaccinations: What’s at stake in Austria’s petition week?
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