News from Vienna

["Kurt Lhotzky" <k.lhotzky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dear Comrades -   here in Vienna the demonstrations are going on. In the
afternoon, the Ministries for Social Affairs (FP) and the Miniitry for Economy
(Popular Party) were occupied by several 100 protesters, the bulk of them
members of far-left organizations and anarchists. The new Minister for Internal
Affairs (Popular Party) said in an interview, that an "explosive device was
found in the Ministry of Social Affairs" - in fact, the speaker of the Viennese
police corrected several minutes ago his own minister: They just found a bottle
with iced water :-))   Now, at 18:30 CET, some fourthousand people are again
rallying at the Ballhausplatz, in front of the Bundeskanzleramt and the office
of President Klestil. Another bulk of some 800 people holds a meeting in front
of the Parliament building. IMPORTANT: For today, the [old] government has
forbidden all demonstrations at Ballhausplatz!!!   Again, there are quite large
numbers of declared Trade-Union members, shop stewards and TU representatives
among the demonstrators.   The president of the Austrian Federation od Trade
Unions, Fritz Verzetnitsch (SP), attacked today the "antisocial and brutasl
programme of this government" and announced "harsh resistance", not excluding
(and that is strong for a good soialdemocrat!) strikes against the most brutal
points of the black-blue government´s plans.   Tomorrow, there will be at least
one central protest at 17.oo CET at the Heldenplatz (were Hitler spoke in 1938).
It seems, that the Trade Union of the Iron and Steel workers will send
delegations in special trains from the other provinces.   More news as soon as
possible!     Kurt (already without voice because of all the slogans that have
to be shouted)