Austria introduces a national tipping regulation, Viennese buyers flock to the Waldviertel, LGBTQ groups demand action on hate crime—plus more stories from Austria on Friday.
Austria agrees on national tipping regulation
Austria’s coalition parties have finalised a nationwide tipping regulation that keeps tips tax-free while introducing simplified social security contributions through flat rates, ORF reported.
Starting in 2026, service staff will pay fixed monthly rates based on whether they collect tips directly, rising gradually through 2028 and then adjusting for inflation annually.
The agreement ends months of disagreement between the ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS. Employers and unions broadly supported the plan, while NEOS—which had initially criticised the rates—claimed success in negotiating lower figures. The regulation also ends retroactive social insurance claims, which had surged due to increased card payments and improved tip tracking.
City buyers want Waldviertel homes—but owners won’t sell
Demand for homes in the Waldviertel region is booming, especially from Viennese families looking for rural living, Der Standard reported.
But supply remains tight: many property owners are reluctant to sell or rent, hoping children or grandchildren will one day return.
Estate agents say they could sell traditional farmhouses, but a cultural reluctance to part with family homes limits the market. While migration into the region slightly outpaces departures, the overall population continues to shrink due to low birth rates and an ageing demographic. Municipalities are urging owners to consider leasing or selling to avoid increasing vacancy and housing decay.
LGBTQ community calls for stronger protections after hate crime report
Representatives of Austria’s LGBTQ community demanded concrete action against hate crimes during a press conference in Parliament, ORF reported.
The event followed the release of the Interior Ministry’s 2024 hate crime report, which recorded nearly one anti-LGBTQ incident per day—though activists say the real number is likely ten times higher.
Campaigners called for better training for police and the judiciary and urged the government to establish a permanently funded reporting centre within the community. SPÖ equality spokesperson Mario Lindner criticised right-wing rhetoric, saying the LGBTQ community has been deliberately targeted as a scapegoat by extremists.
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Austrian couple arrested in Italy for child abduction
An Austrian man and his Slovak wife were arrested by Italian police in Bari after arriving by ferry from Dubrovnik, Die Presse reported. The couple had fled Austria in May with their two-year-old daughter, who had been placed in foster care following domestic violence concerns.
Officers noticed the woman acting nervously during border checks and discovered that the child had no papers. A European arrest warrant was active for both parents. The child was placed in secure care while the parents await extradition proceedings in separate prisons.
Court says pensioner may insult tabloid as ‘shit paper’
The Vienna Higher Regional Court has ruled that a man’s crude comment on social media calling Heute a “shit paper” was protected as a value judgment, Die Presse reported. The ruling ends a private criminal case brought by Heute publisher Eva Dichand.
The pensioner had commented in response to criticism of an article quoting FPÖ politician Dominik Nepp. A lower court had already acquitted the man; the Higher Regional Court upheld the verdict, with his lawyer citing the importance of protecting freedom of expression—“even for coarse language.” The satirical website Die Tagespresse had supported the man’s legal costs via crowdfunding.
Xenophobic chants on Graz tour bus spark police investigation
Police in Graz are investigating a group of passengers who shouted xenophobic slogans from a convertible sightseeing bus last Friday evening, Kurier reported. The chants, including “Foreigners out!” to the tune of “L’amour toujours”, echoed a viral incident from Germany earlier this year.
An employee of the bus operator, Holding Graz, filed a complaint after seeing the incident on social media. A 27-year-old woman has already been identified as a suspect, and police are pursuing charges of incitement. Authorities say similar copycat incidents have already led to convictions elsewhere.
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Severe thunderstorms hit Lower Austria
Heavy rain and hailstorms swept across parts of Lower Austria on Thursday, causing flooding, property damage and fallen trees, Kurier reported. Fire brigades in Hollabrunn, Krems, and St. Pölten responded to dozens of calls, with Hollabrunn alone reporting 21 alerts within one hour.
Meteorologists reported over 40 litres of rainfall per square metre in some areas. Roads were closed due to flooding and storm debris, and additional storm warnings were issued for the Weinviertel and districts of Korneuburg and Mistelbach later in the evening.
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