Off the wire
• Belarus receives 300 mln USD loan from EFSD  • Ghana producer inflation rise to 6 pct in March  • Kenyan scientist calls for increased funding for biotechnology research  • Kenya seeks to screen 200,000 against high blood pressure levels  • Over 10,500 people in Portugal sign petition for compulsory vaccinations amid measles outbreak  • Nigeria to kick off nationwide voter registration  • Nairobi bourse key index in major rise as selected stocks swell  • 5 Al-Shabaab suspects nabbed with explosives in Somalia  • Kenya's Tergat set to take over national Olympic body, Kipchoge retires  • China's Ding shocks O'Sullivan to reach semifinals at snooker worlds  
You are here: 　 Home

Austrian president believes growth of extremism in EU is over

Xinhua, April 26, 2017 Adjust font size:

The opinion that the growth of nationalism and extremism in the EU can't be halted is no longer strong among the public, Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen said during his official visit to Slovakia on Wednesday.

"It's already over. The results of the Dutch elections attest to this," stressed Van der Bellen, who believes that the result of the French elections will do the same.

On his part, Slovak President Andrej Kiska said that in the case of a multi-speed EU, Slovakia is interested in being at its core.

"If this is the case, Austria would like to be at the core as well," said Van der Bellen, who personally doesn't incline to several speeds, however.

"I hope that there won't be any differentiation," added Van der Bellen.

Slovakia is the first Central and Eastern European country that the Austrian president visited after assuming office.

Austria is one of the biggest trade partners and investors in Slovakia, with around 2,000 Austrian firms active in the country. Endit