Forstinger puts brake on (Austrain) post office branch closure plan
Austrian infrastructure minister Monika Forstinger has called upon Osterreichische Post, the post office, to halt the planned closure of 712 branches until it has submitted a detailed concept of its plans to the minister. To date, the post office has denied that it has exact figures for its closure plan, although the figure of 712 branches is mentioned (affected post offices are those where costs amount to 2.8 times the amount achieved in turnover).
Ms Forstinger has criticised postmasters for informing mayors of the closure of post offices without allowing them the opportunity to object, and therefore intends to use a ruling on universal services as a means of exerting pressure, if necessary. She argues that municipalities will not automatically oppose planned closures, and that, if other options are offered, solutions will be reached. The new draft of the universal service regulations will be passed this autumn at the earliest.
Abstracted from Die Presse Abstracted from Die Presse in German FT McCarthy – Copyright 2001 Financial Times Information.
Source: World Reporter (Trade Mark).
DIE PRESSE, 26th July 2001
