(ANSA) - TRIESTE, 16 GEN - Austria's Social Democrat chancellor Christian Kern will ask the European Union to let employers hire Austrians before other Eu citizens. "Eastern European countries are exporting their joblessness to Austria", Kern affirmed at the launch of a 10-year economic plan focused on job creation. The chancellor pledged to create 200,000 jobs and eliminate joblessness by 2020. His plan covers a range of issues including healthcare, raising the minimum wage and punitive taxes for companies who register profits outside of Austria.

"Only if there is no suitable unemployed person in the country, (a job) can be given to new arrivals without restriction", the Kern's plan says. It includes a push within the Eu for candidates in Austria to be given priority for jobs in sectors that are particularly under pressure. Austrian Social Democrat Party (Spo) is trying to win back voters from the far-right Freedom Party (Fpo), that has found followers, thanks to its political agenda, based on fight against immigration and unemployment. Fpo has drawn surging support since the start of the refugee crisis, which has seen hundreds of thousands of migrants pass through Austria. (ANSA).