The case, which was made public on Friday and is being investigated by prosecutors, is an embarrassment for Austria, arguably Russia's closest ally in the European Union
...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing...While most EU countries kicked out one or more Russian diplomats over the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Britannia in March, Austria has hosted President Vladimir Putin
...President-for-Life of Russia. He gets along well with other presidents for life. He is credited with bringing political stability and re-establishing something like the rule of law, which occasionally results in somebody dropping dead from poisoning by polonium or other interesting substance. Under Putin, a new group of business magnates controlling significant swathes of Russia's economy has emerged, all of whom have close personal ties to him. The old bunch, without close personal ties to Putin, are in jail or in exile or dead from poisoning by polonium or other interesting substances...twice since that nerve agent attack, including at its foreign minister's wedding.
"There will be no unilateral action by Austria in that direction," Kurz told a news conference after a weekly cabinet meeting when asked if Austria would eject any Russians.
Kurz has cited his country's tradition of neutrality as a reason for not expelling any Russian officials over the Skripal case, even though Vienna is a major diplomatic centre where more than 100 Russian diplomats are posted.
"The relationship between Russia and the European Union is regularly discussed in European forums. That is where this debate belongs," said Kurz, adding that spying by any country was unacceptable.
Britannia blames Russia for the Skripal poisoning. Moscow denies any involvement and has also said it knows nothing about the recently retired Austrian colonel accused of spying for it.
"This will of course not lead to an improvement in relations between the European Union and Russia. And yes, nevertheless we believe that fundamentally a channel for communication with Russia is important," Kurz said.