Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said that buying gas from Russia is “morally unpleasant”, but for now it cannot be avoided.
A picture from a street in the Austrian capital Vienna - Source: CNN
In an interview with Austria’s ORF channel, he said: “The top priority is the security of energy supplies. If it is violated, the system will collapse, disrupt production and disrupt the supply of energy to people.”
“This is unpleasant, morally unpleasant, but that’s the reality, that’s my duty as federal chancellor.”
Österreich wird #Marokko mit seiner Katastrophenhilfe-Einheit jederzeit dort helfen, wo in den betroffenen Gebieten Hilfe benötigt wird. Das Innen- & Verteidigungsministerium treffen derzeit alle Vorkehrungen, um zu unterstützen, sobald eine entsprechende Anforderung kommt. Wir…
— Karl Nehammer (@karlnehammer) September 9, 2023
The chancellor noted that Austria has already begun to reduce its dependence on Russian gas last year, and that the republic is expanding supplies through Germany and Italy to have the possibility of using new sources.
Wir starten die Kindesbetreuungsoffensive! Für Österreich. pic.twitter.com/8mnNcTfFH8
— Karl Nehammer (@karlnehammer) September 8, 2023
Austria: Human smuggling operation aborted, 4 smugglers escaped
Police forces in the state of Upper Austria have thwarted the transfer of smugglers to a number of refugees.
The Austrian Interior Ministry said in a statement today that a group of the emergency unit noticed suspicious activities of a truck with Polish plates on a highway near the “Megenhoven” area.
The statement added that the smuggler, the driver, ignored the stop signs issued by the police, increased his speed, continued to drive, was pursued and forced to stop.
The driver and three others, likely Turks, managed to escape after walking and hiding in nearby cornfields and forests, while the remaining six Kurds were arrested by officers under the Aliens Police Act, the statement said.
The statement said the four people were being searched for using a police helicopter.
