President: Austria to keep restrictions on workers from new EU states as long as crisis lasts

Austria will not remove restrictions on workers from the countries that have joined the EU since 2004 during the current financial crisis, the country’s president, Heinz Fischer, said on a visit to Prague on Thursday. His host, Czech President Václav Klaus, said Austria’s current bar on workers from new EU states was more symbolic than a real restriction on Czechs who would like to work there. Austria and Germany are the only old EU states who have maintained such a restriction on the free movement of labour. The exception is set to come to an end in 2011.

Mr Fischer, who is in the Czech Republic on a two-day state visit, exchanged state honours with Mr Klaus. Austria’s head of state presented his Czech counterpart with an award for services to his country, while Mr Klaus gave his guest an Order of the White Lion. The far-right Austrian Freedom Party complained about the bestowing of the honour on the Czech president, who they said was anti-Austrian and anti-German.

Author: Ian Willoughby