Council of Europe report – Corruption: bad report for Austria

The report is based, among other things, on a visit by GRECO employees to Austria in June 2022. One of the focal points of this fifth evaluation round was the work of the police. Accordingly, day-to-day corruption in the Austrian police sector does not appear to be a problem. However, several of the GRECO working group’s interlocutors had noted that the allocation of top positions in the police was done under strong political influence. According to anti-corruption officials, this “intolerable” influence on the allocation of posts must be stopped.

“Disclosure of family members’ financial situation”
The group was also concerned with preventing government corruption. The analysis of risk factors for corruption around the highest political officials such as chancellor, vice-chancellor, ministers, secretaries of state and general secretaries and cabinet employees needs more attention, according to the report according to “Standard”. In fact, GRECO recommends disclosing the financial circumstances of relatives and partners, although this “does not necessarily need to be disclosed”. Transparency is needed when appointing Secretaries-General.

The authors of the report also discussed the work of the WKStA. In the case of climatic causes, their reporting obligations pose a risk to the confidentiality, effectiveness and independence of the studies. Care must be taken that the work of the WKStA is not hindered by “improper” interventions.

Transparency law is still a long time coming
A total of 19 recommendations were made in the report. These included the implementation of the EU Whistleblower Directive, a reflection period for top officials who leave politics, the disclosure of contacts with lobbyists and the drawing up of a code of conduct for ministers and other top politicians. The fact that criminal law on corruption has not yet been reformed is also criticized – the government has now presented a corresponding package. However, the also recommended Transparency Act is still a long time coming.

The body was established in 1999 by the Council of Europe and Austria has been a member since 2006. GRECO experts regularly review the measures each country is taking to fight corruption.

“Let’s take this as an incentive”
In a statement, the Ministry of Justice referred to measures already taken to ensure clean politics – in addition to the draft penal code on corruption, for example, party law reform. “We take the current GRECO report, which does not yet take into account the tightening of criminal law against corruption and the other reforms, as an incentive to continue with other important anti-corruption and transparency projects,” said a spokesperson. of the Minister of Justice. Alma Zadic (Greens) in a written statement. Consider, for example, the introduction of the Public Prosecution Service, which should also further reduce the reporting obligations of the Public Prosecution Service, and the abolition of official secrecy.

NEOS Member of Parliament Stephanie Krisper made a parliamentary request to the ministry to implement the recommendations. “Mail, advertising and structural corruption – all this self-service in our country will continue to be possible for corrupt politicians almost everywhere if the government does not implement GRECO’s demands and wins the hot iron against mail, advertising and structural corruption. Trusting corruption,” she said confident in a statement to APA.