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In view of the attack in the center of Vienna, the government will hold a special council of ministers on Tuesday at 9 am, via video conference. In the morning, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) spoke to the population about the “struggle between civilization and barrying” and an attack based on “hatred of our way of life”.
At lunchtime, Kurz and Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler (Greens) received the mayor of Vienna Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) and the club leaders of the parliamentary parties at the Federal Chancellery for a meeting. This was followed by a joint ceremony of laying wreaths at the site to commemorate the victims.
SPÖ leader Pamela Rendi-Wagner, Interior Minister Karl Nehammer (ÖVP), Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP), Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen with his wife Doris Schmidauer and President of the National Council Wolfgang Sobotka , placed the wreath Tuesday near the crime scene.
Image: APA
In short: “Leave no room for hatred”
“We will not be intimidated by terrorists,” Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said in a short speech. At the same time, he made a call not to allow the division of society that Islamists fight for: “We will not give space to this hatred.” The enemy is Islamic extremism, not all members of an entire religion.
“We will never forget the victims of last night and together we will resolutely defend our core values,” Kurz said, recalling the four deaths so far, the 14 injured and the injured police officer. An old man, an old woman, a young passerby and a waitress were “torn from life” by the attack.
“Even if we are fortunate enough to live in a fundamentally safe country, we unfortunately do not live in a safe world,” said the Chancellor. The attack was based on “hatred of our way of life” and “hatred of our basic values”. The perpetrators and supporters will now be hunted down and brought to justice.
However, this is not a dispute between Christians and Muslims, but: “It is a battle between the many people who believe in peace and the few who want war.” This “struggle between civilization and barbarism” will be fought resolutely together with international partners. Kurz also announced a meeting of the National Security Council (also requested by the opposition), which will take place tomorrow Wednesday at 4 pm
Video: Federal Chancellor Kurz’s speech to watch
Van der Bellen: Attack on the Heart of Society
Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen addressed the people of Austria in a statement on Tuesday. “In the center of Vienna, in the middle of our republic, a cowardly terrorist attack took place in the heart of our society,” said the head of state. But hatred can never be as strong “as our community.”
The apparently Islamist attack is “the worst in our recent history.” “Our condolences to all the injured who are fighting for their lives in these hours. Our tears flow to all of us who have lost their lives,” said Van der Bellen. The head of state also thanked all emergency services and the international community, who joined behind Austria “in these difficult hours.”
The attack was apparently aimed at all who value and value life in a free community. “It was our own free society,” said the federal president. “It was about life in a liberal democracy, which the terrorists apparently deeply hate.”
For this democracy, however, there has been too fierce a struggle over the centuries “for us to give in now.” “Anyone who accepts that knows us badly,” Van der Bellen said. However, hatred will not fall on fertile soil in society. “We will protect and defend ourselves and our values with everything that Vienna is, what Austria is, with everything we believe in and what we stand for, we say here and now: hatred can never be as strong as our community in freedom, democracy, tolerance and love, ”emphasized the federal president.
Video: Federal President Van der Bellen’s speech to watch
