forbidden to enter Austria until Otto formally renounced his claim to the throne, the president noted that his relationship with the republican government "had developed well in the last decades". Chancellor Werner Faymann said that "his life reflects the great turning points of the Austrian and European history." Former Chancellor of Austria Wolfgang Schüssel said that Otto was "a convinced European and paved the way for Austria's road to Europe", and that he "internalized like no other person the all-European idea and articulated it already at a time when there was still a dark shadow over the continent." Othmar Karas, leader of the European Parliament delegation of the Austrian People's Party, said that "all of Europe is crying." – Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg praised Otto, stating that Otto had "courageously fought for the peoples imprisoned behind the Iron Curtain." Schwarzenberg remarked that Otto was the last person who had had a constitutional position "in the old Monarchy", stating that "we should never forget that he was the Crown Prince of Austria, Hungary, and Bohemia." Schwarzenberg also praised Otto's strong anti-Nazi stance, stating that the fact that the annexation of Austria was codenamed "Operation Otto", meant that "the Nazis knew Otto was their main enemy". – President Danilo Türk said: "Otto von Habsburg was one of the strongest advocates of a united Europe, a great man and a promoter of human freedom." – Foreign Minister Ģirts Valdis Kristovskis sent his condolences to the German Foreign Minister, saying Habsburg's "involvement of spreading European democracy and the European idea will be remembered in Latvia." – President Gjorge Ivanov sent his letter of condolences to the Habsburg family, stating that Otto von Habsburg was a "friend of the Republic of North Macedonia" and that "he never forgot about North Macedonia." – President Atifete Jahjaga sent her condolences to the Habsburg court, stating that "with deep sorrow I heard the news of the death of his Majesty Archduke Otto von Habsburg. Today, Europe has lost a prominent politician, the great proponent of peace and a contributor to its union, while Kosovo has lost an irreplaceable friend who will be considered and remembered forever. On this painful occasion, on behalf of the Republic of Kosovo and its citizens, and on my personal behalf, I express my most heartfelt condolences and my deepest sympathy to the Court of Habsburg." – Foreign Minister Gordan Jandroković sent his condolences