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Austrian prosecutors to audit all advertisements placed by the Ministry of Finance

A request has been made for the Ministries of Finance to provide all relevant files and emails related to advertisements as corruption investigations expand in Austria

Published: 3 April 2023 17:34 CEST
Austrian prosecutors to audit all advertisements placed by the Ministry of Finance
A demonstrator wearing a mask with the face of Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and dressed as a prisoner in handcuffs is seen during a protest in front of the headquarters of the Austrian People's Party OeVP in Vienna on October 7, 2021, a day after Kurz was implicated in a media corruption scandal. (Photo by ALEX HALADA / AFP)

After the execution of house searches and the discovery of evidence concerning the newspapers “Heute” and “Krone”, the investigating Economic and Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (WKStA) has taken further action, broadcaster Ö1 and newspaper Der Standard have reported. 

Specifically, requests for legal assistance have been sent to the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Justice, asking that they provide all data, files, and correspondence pertaining related to advertising and marketing. These requests cover the period from 2015 to 2022 and apply to all media. 

BACKGROUND: Austria’s Sebastian Kurz implicated by former ally in corruption scandal

Following remarks and statements made by former Secretary General of the Ministry of Finance, Thomas Schmid, investigations into allegations of bribery and corruption have been reignited, as The Local reported. Schmid has reportedly sought the status of state witness in the case, prompting some under investigation to accuse him of providing false information to gain personal advantages.

The Ministry of Finance has been requested to promptly provide all electronic files, including emails, of the public relations department responsible for allocating advertisements during the eight years, particularly during the coalitions with the FPÖ and the Greens under the leadership of former Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) Chancellor Sebastian Kurz. 

This request encompasses not only data related to “Heute”, “Kronen Zeitung”, and “Österreich” but also includes all of the ministry’s advertising spending, which increased exponentially between 2016 and 2018.

READ ALSO: ‘Reforms needed urgently’: Is Austria becoming more corrupt?

As reported by Der Standard, the Economic and Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (WKStA) has requested information on all advertisements, not just those related to “Heute”, “Kronen Zeitung”, and “Österreich”, from the Ministry of Finance. This is because the WKStA itself found incriminating transactions, rather than the ministry’s internal audit department. The scope of the investigation has, therefore, also expanded to other media outlets. 

The WKStA aims to gain a comprehensive overview of the ministry’s practices in awarding paid publications to identify any suspicious patterns.

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POLITICS

Why 1.5 million people can’t vote in Austria’s crucial federal election

Almost one in five people in Austria won’t have a say in the upcoming election, mainly due to the country’s restrictive citizenship laws.

Published: 11 September 2024 10:15 CEST
Updated: 15 September 2024 08:19 CEST
Why 1.5 million people can't vote in Austria's crucial federal election

As Austria prepares for its upcoming National Council elections on September 29th, nearly 1.5 million people living in the country will be unable to participate despite being of voting age, Austrian media has reported.

This group, which represents around 19 percent of the population aged 16 and over, is largely composed of residents who do not hold Austrian citizenship.

While Austria has some of the most restrictive citizenship laws in the world, the election will still see some new eligible voters—particularly descendants of Nazi regime victims—casting their ballots for the first time, thanks to a 2019 amendment to the citizenship law that made the naturalisation process less restrictive for these cases. Among them is British actor Stephen Fry, whose grandmother fled Austria to escape Nazi persecution.

READ ALSO: Austria improves nationality law for descendants of Nazi victims

Over the past two decades, the number of residents not eligible to vote has more than doubled, from around 9 percent in 2002 to 19 percent today. Of the 1.5 million residents unable to vote, about half are citizens of other EU countries. While they are allowed to vote in EU elections, they are excluded from Austria’s national elections.

This growing number of non-voters contrasts with the shrinking pool of eligible voters. Despite having around 6.3 million eligible voters, Austria’s stringent naturalisation process means that only a small fraction of its long-term foreign residents can (or want to) attain citizenship and the right to vote.

READ ALSO: What makes Austrian citizenship so hard to get?

Who is eligible for citizenship in Austria?

Currently in Austria, if someone wants to take up citizenship via naturalisation they have to undergo an extensive and expensive process and fulfil specific criteria.

Generally, there needs to be at least 10 years of lawful and uninterrupted residence in Austria. But there are exceptions for those with citizenship of an EU or EEA country, those born in Austria, or married to an Austrian, for example.

The main hurdles, however, include having to give up any other citizenships, as Austria doesn’t allow dual citizenship in naturalisation cases with few exceptions, and paying a high fee, which depends on the municipality.

What’s at stake?

The elections will determine the composition of the National Council, Austria’s parliament. The far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) is currently leading in the polls, followed by the centre-right Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP). The results could significantly change the country’s political landscape.

While many are still unable to vote, Austria’s decision to grant citizenship to descendants of Nazi regime victims has (slightly) expanded the voter base. 

Under this provision, around 27,800 people, mostly living abroad, have regained Austrian citizenship. The Foreign Ministry has encouraged these new citizens to participate in the elections.

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