WIEN-Abschluss-Pressekonferenz der KPÖ zur Europaparlaments-Wahl 2009. Günther Hopfgartner, Spitzenkandidat der KPÖ-Europäische Linke zur EU-Parlamentswahl und Melina Klaus, Bundessprecherin der KPÖ trafen sich heute vormittag zum Roulett-Spiel am Wiener Graben vor der Erste Bank.
Günther Hopfgartner: “Heute steht auf der Tagesordnung das Casino zu schließen,” der Casinokapitalismus, seine Banken und Versicherungen mit ihren Pyramidenspielen, sind die Verursacher der aktuellen Krise. Bezahlen sollen, geht es nach den Regierungen, die Menschen, die sie nicht verursacht haben. Daher sollen, vor allem solche Banken, die Geld aus dem Bankenrettungspaket genommen haben vergesellschaftet werden. “Es geht darum, die gesellschaftliche Kontrolle über die Finanzmärkte zu erringen. Normalerweise schafft an, wer zahlt – es war ein deutliches Versäumnis der Bundesregierung, sich an diesen Stehsatz vorbeizumogeln.” KPÖ
Eurozone unemployment rate
(AFP) Unemployment in the 16-nation eurozone rose to 9.2 percent of the workforce in April, the highest level this decade. A total of 396,000 jobs were lost during the month in the nations using the euro currency, pushing unemployment past the nine-percent barrier and up to its highest level since September 1999, the European Union’s Eurostat data agency said.

Migranten sind nicht nur in den Medieninhalten, sondern auch in den Redaktionen unterrepräsentiert

Wien (APA) -  Diese Erfahrung haben die Diskussionsteilnehmer einer Veranstaltung der Britischen Botschaft in Wien zum Thema “Migrants in Mainstream Media” gemacht. Mit Initiativen wie Praktika hätten auch Menschen mit Migrationshintergrund Möglichkeiten, Kontakte in der Branche zu knüpfen, erklärte Paul Macey, Direktor des britischen Beratungsunternehmens “The Creative Collective”. Programme im ORF wie “Heimat fremde Heimat”, die ab Montag gesendete Jugendserie “tschuschen:power” oder spezielle Sendungen für Ungarn und Slowenen wären nicht ohne die Beteiligung von Migranten möglich, betonte Klaus Unterberger, Public Value Beauftragter des ORF. “Es ist noch immer nicht genug, aber zumindest ist das Bewusstsein dafür höher als in den letzten Jahren”, erklärte er. Gleichzeitig kündigte er ab August auch Sendungen für Slowaken und Tschechen an. Warum es noch keinen Nachrichtensprecher mit Migrationshintergrund beim ORF gibt, konnte er zwar nicht beantworten: “Meiner Meinung nach wäre es Zeit dafür”, so Unterberger. (more…)

Galina Toktalieva for die Wiener Nachrichten

Is it possible at all for writing journalist with emigration background  to study German and advance in profession competing with native speakers?

We planned to meet in Sperl, but on that cold day, the cafe was full. We marched on till Leopold museum, and were lucky to find place there. I asked Olivera, why she used to work on Saturdays, and she replied it was due to next upcoming issue of her magazine. Personal history of this young woman could give evidence against theories of national discrimination in Austria and prove that journalists with emigration background may advance in career here and can be disabled mostly because of their German language problems. Olivera Stajic was born in Bosnia, and when she was 13, the family moved to Austria. She studied German in the school, and then later she entered university. Already in her late twenties Olivera became highly functional Vienna professional, and her German, except of complete freedom quality, has one more priority of text-edit professionals – it is perfectly correct.
This shot of Mag. Olivera Stajic, editor in chief for PFM-Magazine I made in Leopold museum cafe.

MOSCOW – A Russian human rights lawyer renowned for his work on abuses in Chechnya was shot to death Monday by a masked gunman who followed him from a news conference. A young journalist who tried to intervene also was shot.

Murder

The broad-daylight shootings of lawyer Stanislav Markelov and journalist Anastasia Baburova prompted grief and outrage in a country where lawyers and journalists who challenge the official version of justice are frequently targeted. Colleagues drew comparisons with the 2006 killing of investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya — a client of Markelov’s and a fellow enemy of rights abuses in Chechnya and across former President Vladimir Putin’s Russia. Markelov, 34, was shot near a building where he had just held a news conference, about half a mile (1 kilometer) from the Kremlin.

Markelov was shot in the back of the head at close range by an attacker who followed him after the news conference, wore a stocking-style mask and had a silencer on his gun — clear signs of a planned killing, state-run RIA-Novosti news agency reported.

Fatal intervention

(Specifics of russian national mentality would not let person stay cowardly passive toward unknown offenders in the street) Anastasia Baburova, a freelance journalist in her mid-20s who had worked for the Novaya Gazeta newspaper, was shot when she tried to intervene after Markelov was attacked. Another Novaya Gazeta editor, Sergei Sokolov, later said she died on an operating table. (more…)

As author I praise value of writer’s honesty. As Mahatma Gandhi wrote in his autobiography: “The heart’s earnest and pure desire is always fulfilled”, so sincere author, has chances to reach heights of mastery. After rambling through books in next Vienna bookstore, I would descend in metro, and vibration of train and feeling of running forward would pacify and bring me in thoughts far beyond of my destination. Previous experienced passenger of Moscow and St-Petersburg underground, now whenever I find myself squeezed between unknown people in underground rush hour, my mind starts traveling in time and space. If to look long enough at dim silhouettes of passengers reflected in dark window, and lights of tunnel splashing  through, is easy to accept suggestion that time does not exists, countries, epochs, generations, yesterday and tomorrow – all is mixed up and goes on at the same time, emerging and passing away as segments in gigantic kaleidoscope. In this common transitory impermanence the only anchor that persists is my awareness of reality. Perhaps this fragile fleeting transit between me and higher source of the world, not perceivable by senses and not knowable by mind, is the only space where search for ultimate truth gives promise to be rewarded? So highest degrees of ultimate truth can not be ascribed to transitory of particular time and particular people. Truth that is true only for certain group is sort of interpretation.
By other words, if author orientates at approval of certain group, his statements are short-lived. (more…)

Chancellor Gusenbauer canceled summer party

I am not in the mood to celebrate,- said Alfred Gusenbauer. He had canceled his traditional summer party. All of the invitations were forwarded, but Gusenbaeur changed his mind. Last year this event was a full success. One year later the situation is totally different. Gusenbauer seems to be at the low point of his political career. The party comrades are discussing his overthrow. The Socialdemocratic party in Austria is in a big crisis, and their chancellor got the blame for it. Gusenbauer cannot hide his anger and disappointment about this situation. This makes it impossible for him to host a fancy celebration, and smile into cameras. (more…)

May Demonstration

It was traditional the 1 May demo and Day of the Work in Vienna yesterday, and to express their solidarity with social-democratic, communist and national minorities movements in the country thousands of people marched along streets of the city toward Parliament and City council, where chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer, mayor Michael Häupl, trades-union leader Rudolf Hundstorfer held their welcoming speeches.
Alfred Gusenbauer, greeted by applauds of massive crowd at Rathausplatz, expressed motto of the day in a few words:
- We all want to have not only work, we want to have good work!

I was in this crowd, and after manifestation discovered with surprise that Alfred Gusenbauer was quite approachable and open for communication with everybody, what was difficult to expect from Russian public figures of the same rank. The last ones probably always wanted to protect themselves from potential terrorists, provocateurs and charity pleaders. I also noticed that mayor and chancellor, belonging to the same social-democratic party and representing Austrian establishment, often use word -Genossen- (Comrades) when they address audience.
I thought the word was prerogative of communists and activists of fascist Germany (Parteigenossen),

on that reason (separating themselves from their own communist past), the word was for along time already banned in Russia by public opinion and sounds funny today there. On some reason, police stopped the march of communists and minorities by Parliament yesterday. The colors were the same – red, but one could quickly guess who stood for authority and who not. One of my Demo picture was used in weekly selection of Reuters world news agency

Serbian demonstration against Kosovo independence,

Vienna, Heldenplatz, 24.02.08, 13.00

As I have no more reliable source of information about Vienna events than FM-4 and Internet sites,

I arrived at place more than two hours earlier equipped with three lenses which I eventually didn’t use

When demo started, it was fun to shoot people together with other 4-5 male photographers

But I could not let myself enjoy it for more than half an hour, because I felt nervous I would not

have enough time to process photos. Chef von Dienst of Wiener Zeitung Hans Kronspieß told me that normally reporters send photos to editorial office not later than two hours after shooting (I don’t mean he ordered today’s photos, it was my own initiation) I have complex attitudes toward journalism in general as form of self-expression. They say that the first oldest profession is prostitution and the second is journalism. In first case you trade your physical self for temporary use. In second case you trade your verbal self for prolonged use and express opinions of those who pay you