Two Croats In Austrian Government

Norbert Darabos was elected Defence Minister for his second term, while Nikolaus Berlakovic became Agriculture and Environment Minister.

Two ministers` seats in the new Austrian government, which were given the green light by the Social Democrats (OeVP) and the Austrian People`s Party (SPOs), will go to Burgenland Croats Norbert Darabos and Nikolaus Berlakovic.

Party leaderships of SPOe and OeVP approved the coalition of the two parties on Monday, while most probably future Austrian chancellor, Social Democrat Werner Faymann named his ministers, which should lay their oaths at the Parliament next week.

Defence minister and Agriculture and Environment Minister

Apart from Defence Minister Social Democrat Norbert Darabos, the new cabinet will also include another Burgenland Croat, a member of the Austrian People`s Party Nikolaus (Niki) Berlakovic at the head of the Agriculture and Environment Ministry.

Darabos, who was Defence Minister in the previous term as well, was born in 1964 in Kroatisch-Minihof in Burgenland. He studied history and political science and has been among leading officials of the Social Democratic Party for years.

Nikolaus Berlakovic was born in 1961 in Eisenstadt and has been vice mayor of Grosswarasdorf for many years. Darabos, who has a degree with the thesis of Burgenland Croats, says he learned German only when he grew up, while Berlakovich stated he speaks Croatian and English.