AUSTRIA: DEMONSTRATIONS AGAINST HAIDER COALITION

Описание: (2 Feb 2000) German/Eng/Nat

Massive demonstrations have taken place in Vienna against the proposed government coalition involving Austria's far-right Freedom party.

This follows an announcement on Wednesday by the Freedom Party leader, Joerg Haider saying that the coalition proposal will be submitted to the Austrian president on Thursday.

Later on Wednesday President Thomas Klestil's office said that before the coalition can be accepted, Mr Haider and the leader of the Austrian People's Party, Wolfgang Schuessel must sign a pledge to respect the values of European democracy.

Klestil's demand was clearly designed to spare the country political and diplomatic isolation within a European Union whose other members doubt Haider's commitment to liberal democratic values.

While much of Europe has denounced an agreement bringing the extreme right Freedom Party into Austria's governing coalition, Joerg Haider remained defiant.

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, the Freedom party leader said the proposed division of ministries published by the Austrian news agency earlier in the day was broadly accurate.

The Freedom Party reportedly would have finance, social affairs, defence, justice and a new infrastructure ministry.

Presidential approval would give right-wing nationalists the largest role ever in running a European Union member country.

Haider says the president "quite liked" the government program worked out with Schuessel's Austrian People's Party but requested some changes.

But Haider stressed that a final decision must be made by the president soon.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I think the president knows that there is not so much time. Because we have to make decisions. Because the Austrian people expect to have a government because they are waiting now since the third of October to have a government on the broad basic in the Austrian parliament. And then we can start to work for this country."
SUPER CAPTION: Joerg Haider, Leader of Freedom Party

Haider denied that international pressure was mounting against Austria due to European protest against the inclusion of the Freedom party in the coalition.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"There is no mounting international pressure. It's a discussion. It's not a friendly discussion. And we take it serious. But we are not open for the argument that foreign countries will decide the internal policy in Austria. We are a vivid democracy.
SUPER CAPTION: Joerg Haider, Leader of Freedom Party

He said his European critics are too quick to judge the programme of any new government.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I think it's not useful to have public discussions without fundamentals because as you know, our critics, they don't know who forms the government. They don't know who belongs to the government. They don't know what's the programme of this new government, but they make a protest."
SUPER CAPTION: Joerg Haider, Leader of Freedom Party

The Freedom Party leader also commented on an article published in a Danish newspaper.

It said Austria's own president, Thomas Klestil and Viktor Klima of the Social Democrats, had asked European Union members to threaten to isolate Austria if Haider's party comes to power.

Haider said he didn't believe the report was true.

SOUNDBITE: (German - rough translation)
"We refuse to believe this. Because we believe that no party or politician in this country despises this country so much that he would damage the interests of his country out of political spite - because he had hoped for something else."
SUPER CAPTION: Joerg Haider, Leader of Freedom Party


SOUNDBITE: (English)



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