The Russian Foreign Ministry is complaining of “sedition and discrimination” against everything “associated with Russia” – the situation in Austria is also denounced in a current Foreign Ministry report. For example, it is condemned that the “events in Ukraine” are taught unilaterally in local schools.
In a report published in early June on “Violations of the rights of Russian citizens and Russians abroad”, the Russian Foreign Ministry complained about the treatment of citizens and Russians abroad. The previously generally calm situation for Russian citizens in Austria has changed dramatically “after the launch of the special military operation to denazify and demilitarize Ukraine,” the ministry writes.
Some allegations are outdated
“As part of a growing upsurge of ‘cancellation culture’, everything Russian and everything related to Russia is being exposed to hate speech and discrimination,” says the report, which also includes a “clearly articulated anti-Russian stance” by the Austrian government is mentioned. Russia’s foreign ministry specifically refers in its report to “attacks on websites by Russians abroad” that led to the blocking of a Facebook group. After a DDoS attack in early March and threats, Austria-Today.Ru editor-in-chief Aleksej Kusin stopped publishing on his site. In any case, this accusation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is outdated: the said Russian-language website has recently published new articles regularly.
Discrimination has also occurred outside the internet, however, the Moscow Foreign Ministry complains, writing about unspecified “prejudice” against Russian children in kindergartens and schools. According to the accusation, the conflict with Ukraine is presented unilaterally in the classroom – including in Austrian educational institutions.
No bank account for Russians in Austria?
However, major Austrian banks are also criticized for now discriminating against Russian citizens. A specifically named bank is accused of verbally refusing to open a bank account for an employee of the Russian trade mission on the basis of “internal instructions”. No further details were given. However, according to APA information, Russian citizens have had hardly any problems opening new bank accounts with this bank in recent months.
Finally, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs discusses culture and science in the report. For example, there are complaints that the Brucknerhaus in Linz has canceled the collaboration with the “St. Petersburg House of Music”. The Russian institution is headed by Sergei Roldugin, a personal friend of President Vladimir Putin.
There is also talk of the Salzburg Festival in early March refusing to cooperate with institutions and certain people from Russia, and the head of the Vienna Konzerthaus, Matthias Naske, has announced that people who do not support Ukraine in the conflict with Russia, no longer cooperate. In mid-March, the rectorates of the universities in Innsbruck am Salzburg declared their cooperation agreements with the Russian state foundation “Russki mir” to be terminated.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
