Vienna City International Offices, a brand of WH International Services, a Wien Holding company, implements Vienna's presence in many neighboring countries. In City News, the company provides information on relevant developments from its network of cities in Central and Southeast Europe. Here are the most important reports for February 2024.
City News provides information on relevant news and developments from Belgrade, Berlin, Bratislava, Budapest, Krakow, Ljubljana, Prague, Sarajevo, Sofia and Zagreb. Here's a look back at the most important news from the past month:
Bratislava/Slovakia: High levels of pollution put health at risk in Bratislava
The air quality in Bratislava poses a significant threat to the health of residents, warn civil associations Cyklokoalícia and Znepokojené matky (Concerned Mothers). This is based on the results of air pollution measurements carried out by experts from German Environmental Aid (DUH). The most recent measurements show that the traffic problem is not just about congestion, but also poses serious health and safety risks. The assessment shows that air pollution in many places in Bratislava is significantly higher than official data suggests. Of particular concern are the measured levels of nitrogen oxides and ultrafine particles, which pose significant health risks. Citizens' associations call for greater monitoring of air quality in various locations and measures to reduce individual car traffic. Air pollution has been proven to have serious health impacts, especially for vulnerable groups such as children and pregnant women. Further long-term measurements of nitrogen oxides at 25 sites in Bratislava, part of a comprehensive project to monitor airborne NO2 concentrations, are scheduled to be published in May. The project also extends to Prague, Ostrava, Budapest and Sofia.
Budapest/Hungary: Budapest district heating system expanded with 8.8 million euros
Budapest Public Utilities improved the district heating system in the center of Budapest with a budget of 8.8 million euros and connected new consumers to the environmentally friendly district heating system. This will reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the air by 7,000 tons. As part of the EU-funded project, a new gas pipeline was suspended from the cross beams of the Elisabeth Bridge and the associated structural and distribution sections were constructed. As part of the investment, more than two kilometers of new district heating pipes and new consumers with a district heating demand of 50.85 megawatts were built – including Budapest City Hall and the new Merlin Theater – in the 5th most densely populated district of Budapest Budapest district heating network connected.
Krakow/Poland: Fourth LGBTIQ school classification in Poland
The fourth student survey on the classification of LGBTIQ-friendly schools runs until April 12, 2024. For the first time, support also comes from the Polish government and the Krakow City Youth Council. This year's ranking has the motto “School of Trust” because, according to the organizers, trust has been what has been most lacking in Polish schools in recent years. In recent years, young people have been asked about the visibility of the LGBTIQ community at school, its importance and signs of discrimination. The survey also included questions about teachers' attitudes towards LGBTIQ people and possibilities for support. Last year it was found that only 18 percent of students had the opportunity to participate in anti-discrimination workshops. 60 percent of students admitted to having witnessed LGBTIQ bullying at school. Last year, around 20,000 people from around 2,000 schools across the country responded to the questionnaires.
Ljubljana/Slovenia: Human rights complaints: Slovenia at the forefront
Statistics from the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) for 2023 show that 978 complaints against Slovenia were received by the ECtHR last year. This is three times more than the previous year (287). This makes Slovenia the country with the most complaints per resident. The ECHR received 34,650 complaints last year, almost a quarter fewer than in 2022 (45,500), with by far the largest number directed against Turkey (8,341), followed by Romania (2,821) and Ukraine (2,531). In terms of population, Slovenia is well ahead of Montenegro (2.8) and Croatia (2.63) with 4.62 new cases per 10,000 inhabitants (1.36 in the previous year, 1.11 in 2022).
You can find even more city news here »
City of Vienna | International offices
The International Offices are responsible for public relations for the city of Vienna, with offices in Belgrade, Berlin, Budapest, Krakow, Ljubljana, Prague, Sarajevo, Sofia and Zagreb. We work with Bratislava from Vienna, supported by a local employee. The international offices consider themselves service providers for the city of Vienna in the communications sector and aim to strengthen Vienna's international positioning as a European center for dialogue and investment in “Government2Government” projects.
Globalization and new communication technologies represent a major challenge for Europe's urban regions, but also an opportunity. Cities are getting closer and closer and this creates many advantages: through cooperation, we can learn from each other, exchange ideas and implement projects together. As a center of geographic and historical growth, Vienna therefore plays an important pioneering role in the network of cities in the heart of Europe. This leadership position is recognition and mission at the same time. This is why the International City Offices of Vienna want to allow other cities to participate in order to work together to master the urban issues of our time. Only through a shared and innovative vision can the future of cities be actively shaped.
Additional Information:
City of Vienna | International offices