Category: Austrian News

On Friday, May 23, around 700 places of worship across Austria will host the ecumenical “Long Night of the Churches” again. Around 3,000 individual program items will be offered. The event will also co-occur in parts of Switzerland, South Tyrol, Italy, and the Czech Republic. This year’s theme is “We can #open.” Once again, 300,000 visitors are expected. The Long Night of Churches is a “living sign of ecumenism in action and an open door for all those who want to experience and rediscover the church”, emphasizes the Armenian bishop…

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With the presentation of the 2025/26 double budget by Finance Minister Markus Marterbauer (SPÖ), the whole truth about the government’s planned billion-euro austerity measures to restructure the state coffers is on the table. The corresponding laws are now coming. A first package was already passed in March, including the abolition of educational leave and the VAT exemption for solar installations, as well as the increase in tobacco tax and the bank levy. A second legislative package will be passed in the National Council next Thursday, May 22. This “Budget Restructuring…

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The “chilly mood” regarding the weather in Austria continues: there is no sign of a sustained improvement in the new week either. Monday will be the friendliest and warmest before the next low pressure announces itself. The temperatures then plummet again on Friday. On Monday, a few more cloud fields will move across the sky from the north-east from Upper Austria to Burgenland during the day, and local, brief rain showers cannot be ruled out, as Geosphere Austria forecast on Sunday. Further west and south, on the other hand, the…

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The Austrian-Filipino singer Johannes Pietsch, aka JJ, was born in Vienna but grew up with his family in Dubai. He attended the German International School and speaks fluently in German, English, Tagalog, and French, bringing a multicultural flair to his artistry. When he was 15 years old, the family moved back to Vienna. After graduating from school there, the musician started his career. This included participating in the ORF entertainment show “Starmania” in 2021, where he catapulted himself into the final show. At the same time, Pietsch continued to pursue…

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Basel, Switzerland – Austria’s Eurovision hopeful JJ has stormed into the grand final of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest with his powerful popera anthem “Wasted Love,” cementing his status as one of the top favorites to win. The 24-year-old countertenor, who boasts Filipino-Austrian heritage, delivered a show-stopping performance in Thursday’s second semi-final, securing one of ten coveted spots in Saturday’s ultimate showdown. From Semi-Final Triumph to Final AmbitionsStarting in sixth position—a lucky omen reminiscent of Austria’s 2014 winner Conchita Wurst—JJ captivated audiences and jurors alike with his soaring vocals and…

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While we still had to pay 13.80 euros for the e-card last year, the fee will rise to 25 euros this year. The reason for this is the government’s cost-cutting measures. Some Austrians probably don’t even know they are paying a fee. We are talking about the annual fee for the e-Card. This is due every year in mid-November and is deducted from the following year’s salary. In most cases, the Christmas bonus is also paid out with it, so the slight deviation—last year, the fee amounted to 13.80 euros—is…

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ÖGK warns of phishing mail: Fraudsters promise a 450-euro refund. Many policyholders are unsettled—tips to protect against data theft on the website. A “Heute” reader had recently submitted documents to the Austrian Health Insurance Fund (ÖGK). She was waiting to hear back and expected a refund. When an email arrived shortly afterwards with the subject “Refund: 450.40 euros,” everything seemed logical to her: logo, transaction number, official tone of voice, and a button for payment—everything looked genuine. But the message was fake. The fake email seemed particularly credible because she…

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Austria has to make savings, and several things will become significantly more expensive. Finance Minister Markus Marterbauer (SPÖ) presented the double budget for 2025 and 2026 on Tuesday. Around a third of the savings will be made on the revenue side, which means that several things will become more expensive, such as the fees for the e-card or those for documents such as passports, driving licenses, etc. But because the subsidies for the climate ticket are also being cut back, people will also have to dig deeper into their pockets…

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In all likelihood, the measures to protect against foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) will end on May 20. Accordingly, border controls and army assistance missions are to be ended if no further cases occur, as the office of the responsible State Secretary Ulrike Königsberger-Ludwig (SPÖ) confirmed an ORF report on Tuesday. “Farmers are sitting on pins and needles”However, a spokesperson for the State Secretary told APA that the final decision will not be made until next week. An ORF report confirmed on Tuesday that the minor crossings that were closed to Slovakia…

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