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DESPITE GORE'S PROMISES, WORKERS ARE STILL HURT BY TRADE By Chris Knudtsen The European Union is now faced with questions of whether or not to lift sanctions off of Austria since Jorg Haider resigned his chancellorship of the Freedom Party. Haider resigned on Feb. 28 as a result of foreign pressure that had mounted against Austria since the Freedom Party came into power in a coalition government with the People's Party. The resignation came three weeks after Haider's party came to power with 27 percent of the vote. Consul Kilzer of the Austrian Consulate General, as well as other Austrian officials, are dismayed that the European Union has not stopped sanctions. "We thought the resignation would take the pressure off," he said, "but it hasn't yet." Critics of Austria such as Ray Porcell, Ph.D., a professor of Eastern European politics, said that a possible reason for the European Union's refusal to lift sanctions is that Haider's resignation is little more than a show. The new chancellor, Susanne Riess-Passer, is known in Austria as "the King's cobra" because of her strong loyalty to Haider and his policies. "Not much has actually changed," Porcell said, "the Freedom Party is still the same fundamentally, with a new leader that was the right-hand man of the old one." Kilzer disagrees. "[Reiss-Passer] will be emancipated from Haider," he said, "she will find her own way with a gradual development." Despite his resignation, Haider is still heavily involved with the activities of the Freedom Party as well as with his duties as governor of the southern province of Carinthia. The European Union remains wary of his role in Austrian politics, especially of his influence over Riess-Passer. Austria's economy has increasingly felt the strain of the sanctions of the European Union as foreign investors continue to pull out of the country. The nation's most prominent source of income, tourism, has also been hurt by the current situation because many foreign tour groups refuse to visit Austria. Haider's resignation came as an attempt to bring Austria out of its isolation. Before the elections that resulted in the current coalition, the European Union had threatened Austria with sanctions if the Freedom Party gained power. Austria's neighbors were critical of Haider's anti-immigration policies and occasional remarks praising aspects of Nazi Germany. Haider has repeatedly apologized for these remarks but the damage had already been done. Support for Haider and the Freedom Party remained strong within the country despite foreign criticisms and a few domestic protests. The Freedom Party, with the support of the People's Party, survived a motion for a no-confidence vote that would have dissolved the coalition on Feb. 8. Kilzer said he believes that the party will maintain their support in the future. "The Freedom Party has been forced into the position where they must change," he said, "but they will not be taken from power because there is a strong base of support for them."