pics: march 22nd 2000:
visiting the president's office

Austria's far right in power
(The Guardian)

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Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,
the Embassy of Concerned Citizens wants to comment on developments threatening Austria's democracy:

No more democracy in Austria?
Federal government wants to remove
Embassy of Concerned Citizens!

After the apparent clearance by the EU experts' report and the lifting of bilateral measures, the people responsible for the Austrian Republic show their true attitude towards people with differing opinions: The "Embassy of the Concerned Citizens", nationally as well as internationally a symbol of lived democracy in Austria since the formation of the ÖVP/FPÖ government, is supposed to be eradicated .

The "embassy" at Vienna's Ballhausplatz - straight opposite the federal president’s and chancellor's offices - is run by hundreds of concerned citizens and supported actively by thousands, who don't feel represented by the present government. The container serves as assembly place for citizens, guests and tourists and international media, as a discussion forum, location of artistic resistance, and starting point for the Thursday demonstrations.

Already during the bilateral measures, a number of discussions had taken place between representatives of the embassy and the castle autorities (Burghauptmannschaft), responsible . After a period of tacit tolerance, it was discussed to move the embassy a few meters away. Obviously, the space requirements for the traditional military parade on October 26th served as a pretext.
Once the bilateral measures had been lifted, the will to negotiate had vanished.
On September 26th, it was officially stated that no more negotiations would take place, no other location would be offered, and that the removal would be enforced.

The concerned citizens will continue their efforts to keep the embassy as long as the Freedom Party is part of Austria's government. At present, the international community and medias are being informed, and non-violent resistance against a forced removal attempt is being announced.

Vienna, October 2nd, 2000; responsible: W. Schüssel.
Informations: http://botschaftbesorgterbuergerInnen.cjb.net 
+43 (0) 699 11 46 73 48