This Europe: Scepticism greets Freedom Party move to help confused motorists

The right-wing Freedom Party in the southern Austrian state of Carinthia launched a programme yesterday to help disoriented motorists find their holiday destinations.

That at least is one of the party's arguments for relabelling about 30 motorway signs showing the way to cities in neighbouring Slovenia and Italy. The city names are being replaced with signs giving the distance to the respective countries.

Gerhard Dörfler, a Freedom Party traffic spokesman, says: "If someone from Hungary, Slovakia or the Czech Republic goes on holiday once a year to Italy, then Italy should be signposted." Because the Freedom Party and its former head and current Carinthian Governor, Jörg Haider, are not renowned for concern for foreigners' well-being, this justification was met with a good deal of scepticism.

Christian Rainer, editor at profil magazine, said the measure was "just one more populist move from the most populist politician in the German-speaking world". Mr Haider denies this is the case.

He also disputes that the move is connected to a debate over bilingual signs in Carinthia. Although he has voiced opposition to the idea, he said the issue was separate and cannot be "ideologised".

Roman Michalek, of the motoring association ÖAMTC, doubted that road safety would be improved by the move and predicted the move would be "confusing".