Moscow allowed Austrian Airlines to work in Russia, extending the permission for the flights. Vienna expressed its indignation to the situation as the problems appeared only in one of 57 countries after acceptance of Lufthansa takeover of Austrian Airlines. The Minister of Economy of Austria Reinhold Mitterlehner came to an agreement with the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation Andrey Fursenko about prolongation of permission for Austrian Airlines (AUA) to fly over the territory of Russia.
Doubts in Austrian identity
Austrian Broadcasting Company ORF reported that the dispute between Moscow and Vienna lasted more than a month. The Russian party refused to prolong the agreement which expires on the 1st of July 2010, considering that the last year merger with German Lufthansa deprived AUA to identify them as Austrian company according to the agreement. “There were no any problems with 56 countries from 57. And only in Russia some problems appeared”, outraged in ORF.
As a result of the meeting in Sochi of Fursneko and Mitterlehner the parties came to an agreement and prolonged the permission till the end of summer season (till October 31, 2010).
AUA operates 44 flights a week from Vienna to Moscow, St. Petersburg, Krasnodar, Rostov and Sochi.
Investments to Sochi 2014
Mitterlehner discussed with Fursenko the cooperation issues in preparations for Sochi Olympics. Vienna promised to send Austrian professors of tourism, who will teach hospitality services for Sochi residents and educate future coaches. Austrian companies are planning to invest 300 million Euros in Sochi 2014.
The source from Austrian Strabag Construction Concern reported to Vienna newspaper Wiener Zeitung, that “in the nearest future” the contract for the construction of Olympic village will be signed. The sum exceeds 600 million Euros. Source: ATORUS.RU, Association of Russian Tour Operators
