FPO

Even in Austria, Serbs felt like outcasts, Markovic said. "No politician would publicly support the Serbs."

That is, until Heinz-Christian Strache's far-right Freedom Party made an unlikely play for the votes of the second largest national minority in Austria.

Austria's far-right Vice Chancellor lent support for Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik and his Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, SNSD, in the upcoming elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina at a meeting in Vienna on Monday, according to Bosnian media RTRS and ATV.

VIENNA (Reuters) - Austria's lower house of parliament voted on Thursday to scrap an impending ban on smoking in bars and restaurants, backing the coalition government despite opposition from health campaigners and opposition parties.

Austria is going through a transition, politically. On December 18, the Freedom Party of Austria (FPO) joined the coalition government led by young centre-right Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (of Austrian People's Party or OVP), with the far-right Heinz-Christian Strache (of FPO) as his Vice Chancellor.

The European Union adapts to political reality as this is shaped by member-states. This can be seen in the handling of the "Austrian issue" which emerged after the country's radical populist right-wing Freedom Party (FPO) became part of the country's governing coalition.

In his statement to Tanjug, Damjanovic, who is of Serbian origin and is a member of the Freedom Party (FPO) added that FPO leader Heinz-Christian Strache always had excellent relations with Serbia and a positive attitude towards the country, while the new chancellor, Sebastian Kurz, always supported Serbia.

The cabinet is led by 31-year-old Sebastian Kurz, who is Austria's youngest head of government (chancellor).

The ceremony, that took place before Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen, was accompanied by numerous protests in Vienna, one of which was held in front of his office.

 Two months after the election, 31-year-old conservative People's Party (OVP) leader Sebastian Kurz is expected to finalise coalition talks on Friday and form a new government with the hard-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPO) led by Heinz-Christian Strache, reported EUObserver .

The conservative People’s Party (OVP), led by 31-year-old Sebastian Kurz, is projected to finish first in Austria’s snap parliamentary election, according to exit polls that suggest a clear shift to the right.

The latest forecasts showed centre-right OVP holding onto first place, winning 31.5 percent of Sunday’s vote.

The far right Freedom Party (FPO), set to become kingmaker after elections on Oct. 15, wants Austria to join the Visegrad Group of central and east European states opposed to immigration, Reuters reported.