publish time

06/05/2022

author name Arab Times

publish time

06/05/2022

VIENNA, May 6: The majority of Austrians oppose their country's joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a survey of the Austrian Institute for Data Analysis showed Friday. Just 14 percent of Austrians are in favor of joining NATO, while 75 percent reject the idea, said the survey. When asked if neutrality still protects Austria today, 52 percent answered yes. But at least 40 percent are not of the opinion that neutrality protects Austria from military threats. Austria's Press Agency, which reported the poll's result, said that this result represents a "large majority that clearly contradicts" the prevailing atmosphere in some other European countries "such as Sweden and Finland" that question the effectiveness of neutrality and wish to join the military (NATO) alliance, influenced by the Russian military operation in Ukraine.(KUNA)