Vienna / Paris, 19/04/2000 (Agence Europe) - The case of EU bilateral sanctions against Austria has given rise to new reactions recently, in Austria and elsewhere.
In an interview published on Thursday in the weekly News, Jörg Haider states that the EU has "created a situation where, for the first time, a Member State has to consider whether it should secede". In his view, it is going to be "interesting to see" whether, by stopping payment of its contributions to the Union budget, Austria can do so (see EUROPE of 17/18 April, page 7 and 19 April, page 8, for statements in this connection by Finance Minister Karl-Heinz Grasser and on the reaction of Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner).
Chancellor Schüssel stated in an interview published on Wednesday by Die Press that Austria will do nothing that might be in breach of the Treaty on Union (otherwise, "we would be in the wrong", he stated). Wolfgang Schüssel also reiterated that the bilateral sanctions by the Fourteen are illegal and that Austria will use all legal means against these measures. "The greatest danger for us is that the matter will be forgotten and that no one will remember the severity and absurdity of the sanctions", asserted the Austrian Chancellor.
Lastly, French authorities provided assurances about Austria's participation in work related to preparation of the future French Presidency. EUROPE will be back with more.