The three ‘wise men’ examining the behaviour of the Austrian Freedom Party have completed a fact-finding visit to Vienna, and say a second visit will not be necessary

Date: 03/08/00

"It is evident that we have sufficient facts," said German academic Jochen Frowein following a meeting with ministers, opposition parties and religious groups. The three-man team has been appointed by Union governments to examine whether the Austrian government is continuing to uphold human rights standards and whether the Freedom Party is acting in a racist or xenophobic way. The group is expected to complete its report by the end of September in a bid to head off a planned referendum on Austrian attitudes to the EU.