Kurz declares "new chapter" opened in Austria

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said on Friday "a new chapter is now being opened in this country".

He was referring to the compromise by both the conservative People's Party (OVP) led by him and the Greens led by Werner Kogler in forming Austria's new coalition government earlier this year.

The first conservative-green coalition in the history of the alpine country was sworn in by President Alexander Van der Bellen on Tuesday.

Kurz announced that his goals as the new head of the government include tax reduction, reduction in the debt ratio towards 60 percent, fighting against trafficking while increasing the funds for development cooperation, introduction of compulsory education and a solution to care financing through insurance.

"Dear ladies and gentlemen, there are numerous initiatives in the government program, from digitization to women's politics, from rural areas to measures to strengthen transparency in Austria," he said at the start of the Nation Council session on Friday.

"All these contents have one goal, namely to give the best and to improve the lives of people in our country so that everyone in Austria can lead a happy and contented life," he said.

During the meeting, Kogler who is also the vice-chancellor, thanked the people "for their patience that a new government has come together", which took a hundred days.

Austria's conservatives and the Greens agreed on Jan. 1, 2020 to form a coalition government, ending almost three months of negotiations.