Finance

Confidante of the former BVT head of department arrested in connection with the affair of the payment service provider in Carinthia.

Another BVT official was arrested in connection with the Wirecard scandal. As Die Presse reported online on Sunday, the man arrested in Carinthia on Friday is said to be a confidante of the former BVT department head, who was arrested last week as well as a former member of the FPÖ National Council. The two are said to have helped the former Wirecard board member Jan Marsalek to flee to Belarus.

The arrest of the former FPÖ MP is about corruption investigations that have nothing to do with Wirecard. The BVT department head on leave is said to have worked part-time for Wirecard together with other BVT employees. They are said to have passed on “personal data” to Wirecard and checked the solvency of providers of pornographic websites for Wirecard. One of these BVT employees, who is now assigned to the Security Academy, has now also been arrested. There has been ongoing proceedings against him for a long time because information is said to have flowed to Russia. In addition, unlawful data queries are being investigated, reports Die Presse .

The former BVT head of department was accused of being the author of the so-called BVT convolute, in which false accusations were made against employees of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution and which then led to the raid in the BVT in spring 2018, which was later judged to be illegal. He was also one of the incriminations for the Economic and Corruption Prosecutor's Office. However, he denied having written the document.

Mandate purchase affair

The former FPÖ MP was the main character in the so-called mandate purchase affair. The FPÖ under Heinz-Christian Strache was accused of getting money from Ukrainian oligarchs for a place on the list for the man. The FPÖ had always rejected the allegations.

ÖVP justice spokeswoman Michaela Steinacker asked on Sunday why the former FPÖ MP with the best contacts to Russia and the former BVT department head Marsalek helped with the departure and what connection there is between the FPÖ and Marsalek. In a broadcast, Steinacker accused the economic and corruption prosecutor's office of allowing himself to be taken by surprise by an FPÖ network and former Interior Minister Herbert Kickl for the house search.

The ex-Wirecard board member Marsalek fled with a small private plane from Bad Vöslau airfield on January 20, 2020, when the accounting scandal surrounding the listed German group became public. He is accused of falsifying accounts with a total loss of 1.9 billion euros.

In 2020 there were already over 15,000 applications in Austria.

Heating with oil is no longer considered ecologically up-to-date.

Climate protection minister Leonore Gewessler (Greens) is particularly interested in thermal renovation, “because here are the jobs that have a future and that we need on the way out of the crisis. With thermal renovation, we promote regional jobs, regional added value and climate protection. Every euro that is invested here helps twice and three times, “she said in the APA interview.

The numbers speak for the minister: The number of applications for the get-out-of-oil bonus has increased more than tenfold. In 2018, funding for switching to a climate-friendly heating system was granted 1,154 times through the Raus-aus-Öl-Bonus, whereas in 2020 there were already over 15,000 applications.

This initiative will continue in the coming years with a large budget focus. In 2021, a total of 350 million euros will be available for the renovation offensive, 200 million of which will be for Get Out of Oil. In the following years then each 400 million euros.

Sharp increase in e-cars

An increase due to government subsidies is also measured in e-mobility. In January 2020, the proportion of all-electric cars in new registrations was three percent. In December it was already 14.3 percent. Over the course of the year, that is a four-fold increase in the share of electric cars in new registrations and also the highest value ever achieved in Austria in one month. According to Gewessler, the key to this was increasing the e-mobility subsidy to 5,000 euros.

Our goal is to use 100 percent renewable energy by 2030.

Gewessler cites the Renewable Energy Expansion Act (EAG) as a central instrument for the energy transition. “Our goal is to use 100 percent of electricity from renewable sources by 2030. We are currently at around 70 percent, which is good, but we still have a lot to do.” The law is currently being worked on after the assessment phase and should be presented to the Council of Ministers in the first quarter. A central building block of the law are energy communities, which enable citizens to produce and purchase electricity together.

“There are new players in the energy system and each of us can become part of it. I can build photovoltaic systems on my roof together with my neighbors, or the community can produce electricity on the roof of the fire station and the community center important part of the energy transition and we are implementing it for the first time. We absolutely want to achieve the stated goal and that is why the funding system is very targeted and is based on the individual technologies. To do this, we have taken a close look at what works and what doesn't in other countries “, said the Minister.

Gewessler is very pleased with the change in power in the USA and the announcement by the new President Joe Biden that the USA will be returned to the Paris Agreement. “The USA is an important partner in the fight against the climate crisis.”

When noise becomes a psychological burden, it can make us sick. Psychoacoustician Bernhard Laback on protective measures.

KURIER: Mr. Laback, what exactly is noise?

Bernhard Laback: The assessment of what we perceive as noise depends very much on the attitude of the person concerned to the signal. A motorcyclist will not be bothered by the noise of the engine, while an environmental activist may have a very big problem with it. And that with the same physical noise level.

So is noise an individual variable?

Yes, there is no concrete definition. Even very quiet noises can be perceived as noise if, for example, you take a dripping tap. That is a very low sound pressure level, little signal. Nevertheless, this can be extremely annoying, especially at night. In general: a high-pitched noise with a lot of high-frequency components, such as a circular saw, is more annoying than the noise of waves. In addition to the purely physical signal aspects, there are also psychological factors such as association and experience on the second level. These can then make a noise appear more or less disturbing.

So psychologically it is about the relationship to noise?

Correctly. Take train drivers and motorists here. For motorists, car noise is significantly less annoying than train noise, and vice versa, at the same sound pressure level. The psychological factors work primarily in the waking state. But sound also affects the body during sleep. There is a certain level of neuronal excitation that can then lead to stress reactions. If this continues, it can also lead to serious cardiovascular problems.

How exactly does that happen?

The noise creates an increased level of stress. Increased during the day by anger or aggression towards the noise. But the cortisol level in the body also rises at night due to noise pollution. This then leads to high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis and other secondary diseases. But of course these are long-term effects. Especially with regard to construction site noise, this can be a major burden.

These measures can help

Can you learn to deal with noise?

This is difficult. Because it's like saying, don't think about the pink elephant. But of course you can change the circumstances.

What can be done effectively?

Better soundproof windows could be a first step. For people on busy roads or other permanent noise pollution, there are also urban subsidies for noise protection. If you don't want to do without the open window while you sleep, you can use ventilation systems. Earplugs are also helpful, as there are so many different models. There are even plugs that are fitted directly to the ear. Or headphones that block out background noise. Of course, they help when you have to concentrate. But of course you don't hear when someone calls you from the next room.

Can we also help ourselves with psychological tricks?

The consideration “where does the noise come from and what is its purpose?” Can be very helpful. If the noise is also useful, for example, which it is when building a subway, it can help to make you feel less annoyed. Unfortunately, this doesn't work with every source of noise, but tricking yourself mentally often helps.

Some fight noise with their own noise, like loud music. Isn't that a paradox?

Overlaying disturbing noise with positive noise is also a way of protection. With music or sound simulators, for example. The annoyance of noise is also related to how much it interferes with what I want to do. When I'm working on a word problem, I feel very disturbed by conversations. Music at the same volume would not affect concentration.

New developments in the Wirecard case: Apparently two escape helpers from Jan Marsalek were arrested this week.

A former BVT department head and an ex-FPÖ member of the National Council were arrested this week, according to several media reports. Both are said to have helped the former Wirecard board member Jan Marsalek to flee to Belarus. He is being sought internationally. He went into hiding in June 2020 and is said to have embezzled two billion euros from Wirecard.

The former head of department is said to have passed on “personal data” to Wirecard together with other BVT employees, according to the public prosecutor's office. The arrest of the former FPÖ MP is about corruption investigations that have nothing to do with Wirecard.

In addition to doctors, nurses and teachers, all retail employees will also be tested regularly from Monday.

Stricter measures will apply in Austria from Monday. Wearing an FFP2 mask on public transport and in retail is now mandatory. The minimum distance is also extended to two meters. There are also regular tests for certain occupational groups.

In addition to doctors, nurses, kindergarten teachers and teachers, all employees in retail are tested every week. If this is not possible, an FFP2 mask must be worn.

Trade spokesman Rainer Trefelik speaks of a logistical challenge. He assumes that the FFP2 mask is indispensable even if the test is negative, especially when dealing with customers.

According to the decision in the National Council, providers of body-friendly services such as hairdressers, employees in restaurants and retail, service technicians, taxi drivers, as well as bus drivers and other employees in transport companies are also required to have a test or mask.

The Rewe Group made the start. Now more and more supermarkets are following suit and want to distribute FFP2 masks for free. Lidl too.

In the middle of the week, the supermarket chains Hofer, Spar and REWE (Billa, Merkur, Penny) announced that they would sell the FFP2 masks from 59 cents a piece. But then REWE caused a surprise and announced that it would initially provide the masks free of charge. “This offer is valid while stocks last at the respective location,” it said in a message.

Spar and Hofer responded immediately and rely on the same offer. At Spar, the FFP2 masks were distributed free of charge on Saturday. Lidl now also wants to make them available free of charge from Thursday.

“The demand for FFP2 masks exploded again just before the weekend and we sold around two million masks at cost price. Our goal is that every customer who needs a mask also gets one. We will therefore be offering them from Monday to probably Wednesday continue to sell individually at the cash desk at cost price of 59 cents. As of Thursday, another 4 million masks will be delivered to our branches. These will then be given free of charge to customers who do not yet have an FFP2 mask. We want our customers to be safe give that they – even if sell-off situations cannot be ruled out – always get a mask from us when they need one “, it says in a broadcast from Lidl.

The wholesaler Metro Austria also announced that it would be giving away FFP2 masks for free. “The demand for FFP2 masks has been really high in the last few days,” said REWE International Board Member Marcel Haraszti according to the announcement. More than five million masks have already been delivered to Billa, Merkur and Penny, and another 15 million have been ordered. There is also enough stock for the other large chains.

At Spar, Eurospar and Interspar stores, the free masks are distributed at the entrance and each customer receives a piece. The offer is valid “while stocks last”, but without a time limit. At Hofer they are available at the cash desk.

Her goal is to retire at 40 and live financially independent. In return, frugalists save up to 70 percent of their income.

The German software developer Oliver Noelting lives on 870 euros a month. The rest of his monthly income is saved. His goal is to gain financial freedom as early as possible. The 32-year-old is one of the most famous frugalists in Germany and also blogs about it.

The term “frugalism” comes from Latin and means something like “simple” or “frugal”. The trend towards a frugal and modest life began in 2008 at the time of the financial crisis in the USA.

There is now a large following in German-speaking countries. On the platform “frugaslisten.de”, people from the scene exchange ideas about saving tips and their life concepts. Essentially, it's about saving enough money so that you can retire as early as possible.

But the alternative concept of life should not represent a restriction, the frugalists are much more concerned with values such as independence, happiness and turning away from materialism. They are convinced that a happy life is possible with simple means.

Noelting either does not feel that he has to do without anything. He saves 60 percent of his income, as he revealed to the “Business Insider”. He lives with his girlfriend and their daughter in a 46 square meter two-room apartment. When things break, he fixes them.

“Material consumption doesn't make me happy. Other things make me happy: time with friends and family, sports, expanding my comfort zone,” the software developer explained to the “Standard”.

Noelting keeps a budget book and enters its income and expenses every month in an Excel spreadsheet. In his opinion, you can save a lot of money even with small steps, for example by changing the electricity provider or bringing lunch to the office yourself.

But how does the concept of frugalism actually work? Basically, it is about taking in as much as possible, spending as little as possible and investing profitably in addition.

Many people follow the four percent rule: if you only have to use up four percent of your savings annually, you can live on your wealth for at least 30 years – thanks to interest you don't need any income at all.

Another rule of thumb is that it takes about 25 times your annual spending to achieve financial independence. The prerequisite: the financial lifestyle does not change in the following years. As an example: if you can get by on 1,000 euros a month (12,000 a year), you would have to save and invest 300,000 euros (12,000 x 25).

This type of calculation comes from the Canadian Peter Adeney. He is considered a pioneer of the movement and caused a sensation as a blogger under the pseudonym “Mr. Money Mustache”. By the time he was 30, he had done enough to quit his job as a software engineer.

Frugalists use different investment strategies to achieve their goal. Because the level of the return plays an essential role. Many invest in real estate or stocks, while others prefer ETFs, i.e. funds that replicate a stock market index. Knowledge and knowledge of financial products are a prerequisite for this.

An ex-BVT department head and a former member of the National Council are said to have helped with the escape to Belarus.

New details on the accounting scandal surrounding the insolvent German Wirecard AG are still being continuously revealed. The most recent of these revelations shakes – again – domestic politics, as the Standard reported in today's issue.

The internationally sought-after ex-Wirecard board member Jan Marsalek is likely to have had domestic support during his escape to Belarus – specifically that of a former BVT department head and a former member of the FPÖ National Council. In doing so, the newspaper refers to its files.

The files are said to show that Marsalek is said to have met with the former BVT department head in Munich the day before his flight to Minsk, Belarus. The ex-Wirecard board of directors fled when the accounting scandal surrounding the listed German group became public.

He is accused of falsifying accounts with a total loss of 1.9 billion euros.

Said former member of the National Council S., an entrepreneur, is said to have organized the escape. He was arrested on January 20, 2021 and is now in custody – albeit due to investigations by the business and corruption prosecutor's office, which should have nothing to do with the Wirecard case. The presumption of innocence applies to all of the above, as emphasized by the standard.

As the press reported today, S. admitted at the subsequent interrogation that he had organized the flight for Marsalek on W's instructions. According to the press, W. was also arrested – namely on January 22nd in Austria. W. left BVT in 2017 because of malversations and has been on leave since then.

In addition to W., other BVT employees are said to have worked for Wirecard. According to the newspaper reports, they should “check the solvency of providers of pornographic Internet sites for the payment service provider”. For this purpose, official investigations of personal data were used exclusively for private purposes and made available to Marsalek. W. was arrested for this.

Both of Marsalek's alleged escape helpers were involved in the biggest scandals of recent years. The ex-BVT department head W. was repeatedly accused of being the author of the so-called BVT bundle.

The former member of the National Council, S., on the other hand, is said to have received his National Council mandate with the support of oligarchs from Ukraine. Allegedly, the Ukrainians paid a large sum to the FPÖ under ex-party chairman Heinz-Christian Strache for a good list position for the ex-MP. Strache denies the charge.

In the course of the Ibiza affair, photos of sports bags with cash that were allegedly transported in Strache's car emerged – these are said to be the amounts that the Ukrainians paid for the mandate.

Assessment ends on February 26th, the ordinance should come into force on May 1st, 2021

Economics minister Margarete Schramböck (ÖVP) has sent a regulation under review with which several apprenticeships are to be reformed. For example, the apprenticeships of waste disposal and recycling specialists, medical device merchants, packaging technology, system catering specialists and inland shipping are given new job profiles.

The appraisal will end on February 26th, the regulation should come into force on May 1st, 2021, announced the Ministry of Economic Affairs on Saturday.

“Next step”

Further innovations: The technical apprenticeship mechatronics gets a new special module “Additive Manufacturing”, the previous training attempts forest technology and carpentry technology are transferred to the standard training and the examination regulations for commercial and administrative apprenticeships as well as the apprenticeship restaurant specialist are redesigned.

“This package is a further step to adapt the proven dual training system to the current challenges in the areas of digitization, climate protection and sustainability and to further develop it in a future-oriented manner”, said Schramböck according to the announcement. “Well-trained specialists will be needed more and more in the coming years.”

Extension of the landing ban also for flights from South Africa and Great Britain.

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Due to the mutations in the coronavirus, the Ministry of Health has also imposed a landing ban for flights from Brazil, according to an amended regulation published on Saturday.

In addition, the existing landing ban for flights from Great Britain and South Africa was extended. Aircraft coming from Great Britain, South Africa and Brazil are therefore not allowed to land in Austria until February 7th. The amendment to the ordinance is to come into force on Monday.

With viruses, random changes in the genetic material, called mutations, occur constantly. Some give the pathogen advantages – for example by making it easier to transmit. The mutations of the virus in the variants detected in Brazil, Great Britain and South Africa are suspected to be more contagious than the wild type of the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus.

According to British experts, the variant that appeared in Great Britain is 30 to 70 percent easier to transfer than the previously prevalent one. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also said on Friday that there were “some indications” that the British variant of the corona virus may also be more deadly than the previously prevalent one.

According to the German Robert Koch Institute, the variations found in Brazil are similar to those in South Africa in terms of their changes. An “increased transmissibility (transferability, note) is considered conceivable”.