Austria is preparing for a possible cessation of Russian gas if its transit through Ukraine is stopped, Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer told reporters in Chisinau.
“We are constantly preparing for serious challenges. That is why our storage is already 75% full. And we are also negotiating with those who have new volumes of gas. If Russian gas runs out completely, OMV is already working on that,” he said.
Asked whether he would talk to Ukrainian President Zelensky about it, Nehammer said: “This is not the main topic today. It’s about the war in Ukraine. But it’s always an issue of security of energy supply, which is on Austria’s agenda. So it is always a topic that is taken into consideration.”
Ukraine is counting on Austria’s assistance in restoring infrastructure and humanitarian demining, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said.
“Austria is among the countries that helped Ukraine overcome this winter and Russia’s energy terror. In a conversation with Federal Chancellor Karl Negammer thanked for 10 million euros to restore energy, help with equipment and generators,” Shmygal wrote in the Telegram channel.
According to the prime minister, the sides also discussed support in the reconstruction of Ukraine.
“We count on Austria’s help in the reconstruction of infrastructure and humanitarian demining. Separately, we paid attention to the situation at the ZNPP and the strengthening of sanctions against the aggressor, in particular the impossibility of circumventing the restrictions already imposed by Russia,” he summed up.
The Cabinet of Ministers offers the Verkhovna Rada to ratify the framework agreement between the governments of Ukraine and Austria on economic cooperation in the development of projects.
As the representative of the Cabinet of Ministers in the Verkhovna Rada Taras Melnychuk said in Telegram on Friday, the corresponding decision was made at a government meeting on Friday.
Approved, in particular, the draft law “On the ratification of the framework agreement between the government of Ukraine and the government of the Republic of Austria on economic cooperation in the development of projects.”
It is noted that the ratification of the framework agreement will create a legal basis for economic cooperation between countries in the development of priority projects, in particular, for the construction (reconstruction) and equipping of the National Children’s Specialized Hospital “Okhmatdet” in Kyiv, the construction and equipping of a clinic in Kyiv, the creation of a National Rehabilitation Center in Lvov.
First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine and Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko and Federal Minister of Labor and Economy of Austria Martin Kocher signed a framework agreement between the governments of the two countries on economic cooperation in the development of projects.
According to the press service of the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine on Sunday, the signing of the agreement took place on Sunday, September 4, in Krakow during Yulia Svyrydenko’s visit to Poland.
“We hope that the economic cooperation agreement signed today will allow us to launch a number of important projects, in particular, in the healthcare sector. Among the priorities are the construction and equipping of the Okhmatdyt National Children’s Specialized Hospital and a modern university clinic in Kyiv, as well as the creation of the National Rehabilitation Center in Lviv. The estimated cost of these projects will be more than EUR 500 million,” Svyrydenko said.
According to her, for the implementation of these projects, concessional long-term financing will be attracted under the guarantees of European export credit agencies. It is expected that the effective rate of attraction of funds will not exceed 3% per annum, and the borrowing period will be up to 14 years. Such concessional targeted financing of socially significant projects is a good alternative and addition to more expensive and short-term obligations, usually borrowed to replenish the working capital of the state budget.
According to the agreement on economic cooperation in the development of projects, the governments of Ukraine and Austria agreed to promote the development of modern social and educational infrastructure, in particular, a network of modern medical and vocational educational institutions, to promote the development of the medical insurance market in Ukraine, and to intensify bilateral economic relations in the field of investments, innovations and implementation of economic projects, especially in the field of medical technologies and healthcare institutions.
Svyrydenko also expressed her gratitude to the Austrian partners for financial and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and for the initiative of Austria to take patronage in the restoration of Zaporizhia region.
Verkhovna Rada Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk said he hoped Austria would realize the strategic role of Ukraine as a guarantor of security for Europe.
“I hope Austria will realize the strategic role of Ukraine as a guarantor of security for Europe as well as economic potential of our country and support Ukraine’s EU aspirations,” he said during a meeting with President of the National Council of Austria Wolfgang Sobotka in Vienna on Tuesday.
According to a statement posted on the website of the Ukrainian parliament, the officials discussed support for Ukraine on its way towards obtaining the status of EU candidate, Austria’s participation in the revival of Ukraine, and punishment for the aggressor country Russia for waging the war against Ukraine.
Stefanchuk stressed the importance of a regular inter-parliamentary dialogue and the recognition by the Austrian parliament of the 1932-1933 Holodomor famine in Ukraine genocide against the Ukrainian people.
He also invited his Austrian counterpart to visit Ukraine.
11 units of fire and rescue equipment, five resuscitation vehicles, as well as equipment and machinery from Austria have arrived in Ukraine, the State Emergency Service reports.
“11 units of fire and rescue equipment and five reanimobiles arrived in Ukraine today. They were provided by the emergency services of Vienna. In addition to equipment, a lot of other equipment and equipment arrived, which is so necessary for our victory over the Russian occupiers,” reads a message published in telegram channel.
It is emphasized that “all this valuable technical assistance will be able to strengthen the combat capability of the units of the State Emergency Service of those regions that are working to eliminate fires and emergencies caused by the war.”
