Crime Low Risk Crime Rates Are Generally Low in Austria
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Riskline / Country Report / 29 August 2021 AUSTRIA Overall risk level High Reconsider travel Can be dangerous and may present unexpected security risks Travel is possible, but there is a potential for disruptions Overview Emergency Numbers Medical 144 Upcoming Events There are no upcoming events scheduled Riskline / Country Report / 29 August 2021 / Austria 2 Travel Advisories Riskline / Country Report / 29 August 2021 / Austria 3 Summary Austria is a High Risk destination: reconsider travel. High Risk locations can be dangerous and may present unexpected security risks. Travel is possible, but there is a potential for severe or widespread disruptions. Covid-19 High Risk Authorities confirmed the country's first case of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in February 2020 in the resort town of Ischigl, Tyrol. Hundreds of COVID-19 cases across multiple European countries were subsequently traced back to the resort town. The country is gradually reopening and easing restrictions on international travel. Political Instability Low Risk Following the September 2020 parliamentary elections, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz's centre-right Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) and the progressive Greens formed a ruling coalition, marking the first time that the environmentalist party entered government. There are no threats to the country's political stability, although ideological differences between the two parties could undermine the unity of the ruling coalition. Conflict Low Risk Austria is unlikely to be involved in conflicts in the near-term. Terrorism Low Risk Compared to other European countries, Austria had seen relatively few terror incidents until an Islamic State (IS) sympathiser carried out a deadly shooting in Vienna city centre on 2 November 2020. The attack underscored the risk posed by the presence of lone-wolf attackers radicalised by Islamist militant groups. Riskline / Country Report / 29 August 2021 / Austria 4 Unrest Low Risk Most rallies pass peacefully, although clashes have erupted during far-right demonstrations with police officers or counter-protesters. Right-wing extremists from both Austria and Germany periodically gather for rallies in the provinces of Vorarlberg, Salzburg and Upper Austria bordering Germany. Demonstrations related to environmentalist issues are also likely to continue. Crime Low Risk Crime rates are generally low in Austria. While there is a risk of theft and pickpocketing targeting travellers and tourists in Vienna, they are unlikely to be affected by violent crime. Visitors should remain vigilant of their personal valuables on public transport and in crowded touristic areas and shopping areas. Natural and Environmental Moderate Risk Heavy snowfall can trigger disruptions to travel and deadly avalanches have occasionally occurred in the Austrian Alps during winter months; track local weather forecasts prior to planned travel. Infrastructure is well-maintained and disaster response is reliable and effective. Health and Medical Low Risk Austria has medical infrastructure of a high standard, as well as a wide range of private healthcare facilities. The water and sanitary conditions are excellent throughout the country. No specific vaccinations are required to enter the country. Local Travel Low Risk Travel in Austria is safe and efficient. Austria has a comprehensive transport system that connects all major cities with one another and with other European destinations. Local transport within cities is safe, with a network of metros, trams and buses operating reliably. Private forms of transport, including taxis and vehicle rental firms also adhere to strict safety standards. Mountain roads can become hazardous during the winter due to snowfall, ice and avalanches. Riskline / Country Report / 29 August 2021 / Austria 5 Political Overview : Low Risk On 29 September 2019, snap elections were held following a May 2019 scandal that led to a collapse of the right-wing ÖVP-FPÖ coalition. The right-wing Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) led by Sebastian Kurz remained the largest party in parliament with 37.5 percent of the vote. On the other hand, the centre-left Social Democrats (SPÖ) saw its worst result since the end of World War II with 21.5 percent of the vote, while the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ), the far-right former junior coalition partner of the ÖVP, lost 20 seats and finished third above the left-wing environmentalist Greens and the liberal New Austria and Liberal Forum (NEOS). The FPÖ's loss underscored the far- right party's declining popularity, following the May 2019 "Ibiza affair" involving a video showing FPÖ deputy chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache offering public contracts in exchange for campaign support to a woman who posed as a niece of a Russian oligarch. In January 2020, Kurz announced a new government with the progressive Greens following negotiations that officially began in November 2019. The coalition agreement will see the Greens enter government on a national level for the first time. The results of the 2019 parliamentary election and the subsequent coalition agreement underscored the right-wing's enduring appeal among voters, as well as growing climate change concerns that have propelled the rise of environmentalist parties across Europe. The agenda of the new government encompasses platforms of both parties, including further measures to curb immigration, as well as a carbon tax on airline tickets and a commitment for Austria to become carbon neutral by 2040. However, ideological differences between the two parties are likely to pose a challenge in the stability of the new government. While the president is largely a ceremonial figure, the 2016 presidential election gained attention as a test of the far-right FPÖ’s popularity. While FPÖ’s Norbert Hofer won the first round with over 35 percent of the vote, the left-leaning Alexander Van der Bellen was elected to the post in 2016 with 53.8 percent of the vote in the run-off. Although Van der Bellen officially ran as an independent, he received support from the Greens party. Van der Bellen’s victory marked a win against the far-right, at a time when right-wing populist parties began gaining traction in Austria and elsewhere in Europe driven by a backlash against immigration. Riskline / Country Report / 29 August 2021 / Austria 6 The ÖVP's win in the September 2019 election underscored the right-wing's enduring appeal among the public, despite a decline in immigration levels that initially drove the party's surge in 2017. In both 2017 and 2019, the ÖVP successfully campaigned on promises to scale back immigration, which emerged as a key issue in the 2017 elections in the wake of the 2015 European migrant crisis. After coming to power in 2017, the right-wing ÖVP-FPÖ government led by Kurz passed several measures targeting the growing immigrant population, including cuts in monthly benefits for migrants with poor language skills and easing deportation procedures. The overall shift to the right is indicative of domestic fears centred on immigration and economic issues. There are no recent incidents Riskline / Country Report / 29 August 2021 / Austria 7 Conflict : Low Risk There are currently no potential or active conflicts that may affect the country. The country is not a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). In September 2014, Austria joined the United States-led coalition against the Islamic State (IS) militant group in Syria and Iraq; nonetheless, Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz vowed that his country would only contribute humanitarian assistance and would not involve itself militarily. Riskline / Country Report / 29 August 2021 / Austria 8 Terrorism Islamist Terrorism: Compared to other European countries, Austria has seen relatively few terrror incidents. However, a mass-casualty attack motivated by Islamist extremism occured on 2 November 2020, when a gunman armed with a rifle opened fire near Vienna's main synagogue on Seitenstettengasse. While the synagogue was unoccupied at the time, four people were killed and several others were injured after multiple passers-by and police officers were shot. The perpetrator was subsequently shot dead by police outside St Rupert's Church. The gunman - a 20-year-old dual citizen of Austria and North Macedonia - had previously been sentenced to 22 months in prison for attempting to travel to Syria and join the Islamic State (IS) militant group. While officials initially treated the shooting as an Islamist terror attack with multiple perpetrators, the presence of a second attacker was not confirmed. The attack underscored a growing trend of lone-wolf attacks by IS sympathisers across Europe and the possibility of further Islamist attacks in the country. Another potential threat comes from the approximately 300 Austrian nationals who have journeyed to Syria and/or Iraq to join terrorist groups, including IS and al-Qaeda, with reports indicating at least 70 of these militants have since returned. There is a significant risk that these individuals – who are returning with extensive knowledge of both explosives and military tactics – will plot and attempt to carry out attacks against the government, security forces, civilians and western interests. Such plots by trained foreign fighters have already come to fruition in Belgium and France while a number of other attacks have also been thwarted. In general, approximately 6,000 European nationals are assessed to be currently fighting alongside radial factions in Syria and/or Iraq and it is likely their involvement in war-torn states will continue to pose major challenges for security forces. Response Preparedness: Since the events of 9/11, the Austrian Government has stepped up funding for terrorist attack response training. Emergency services have been trained in how to respond to mass casualty situations and units trained to deal with biological or chemical attack have been expanded. There are no recent incidents Riskline / Country Report / 29 August 2021 / Austria 9 Unrest : Low Risk Annual Protests: Leftist elements protest annually on May Day (1 May) in Vienna. These protests are usually peaceful but sporadic confrontations with police have occurred in the past.