Ceremonial Events for State Treaty on Thursday in Vienna

With commitments to Austria's perpetual neutrality, the celebrations for the conclusion of the State Treaty 70 years ago began on Thursday. At a ceremony in Parliament, all three members of the National Council Presidium, Walter Rosenkranz (FPÖ), Peter Haubner (ÖVP), and Doris Bures (SPÖ), emphasized that the State Treaty is not just a historical document. Rather, it must be brought to life in view of international conflicts.

Rosenkranz: "I bow"

National Council President Rosenkranz described the State Treaty as a "secular relic of recent Austrian history." Even before its signing, all parties had sought neutrality. "Today, I bow with great respect to the achievements and diplomatic skill of the great statesmen of those years," said Rosenkranz. Their legacy is a call to bring the State Treaty to life even today - for example, through the implementation of Article 7, which also provides for bilingual place-name signs for ethnic groups.

Haubner also bowed "his head in respectful remembrance" to the actors 70 years ago. "At the same time, we raise it with pride as free citizens of a sovereign, democratic Austria," he emphasized in his speech. The history of the State Treaty illustrates "how important the parliamentary path was for our freedom," summarized the Second National Council President, and he also emphasized: "This State Treaty is not just a legal document, it is a living mandate." Neutrality must "prove itself anew every day," freedom, democracy, and neutrality are not self-evident.

The State Treaty "should also be a mandate and obligation in the future," said the Third National Council President Bures. Austria has thus become a hub for visible peace policy. "It is time to revive exactly this tradition," Bures agreed with the words of her predecessors. Neutrality has brought the country peace and security for 70 years, even if it is "sometimes underestimated." "Austrian neutrality has never been in contradiction to international solidarity," emphasized Bures.

Choirboys at the ceremony

At the ceremony in Parliament, former Federal President Heinz Fischer (SPÖ) and former National Council President Andreas Khol (ÖVP) also shared their experiences from the post-war period. The ceremony in Parliament was musically framed by the Vienna Boys' Choir. In the evening, the Federal Chancellery invites to the Belvedere Palace Garden, where the signing of the document took place. Part of the event there is an honor guard of the Federal Army.

Ceremony in Parliament via livestream

The ceremony in Parliament can be seen here via live stream from 11 a.m.

(APA/Red)

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