It should not be the case that we in Austria get used to nepotism in top domestic politics, says Luca Mak, director of Transparency International Austria, in krone.tv’s conversation with Jana Pasching. The union demands rules for politics, including a cooling-off period for former politicians who want to switch to a company. There should be a waiting period of at least one year if there is a connection with the previous activity. The background: Politicians should no longer be able to take their positions of power and contacts so easily and thus influence laws.
According to Mak, transparency is the best antidote to corruption. “Political scientists assume that 80 percent of our laws are influenced by lobbying. That shows that it affects everyone in Austria.” This is exactly where you should start. Transparency International demands access to the lobby register and a legislative footprint, among other things. This is intended to provide information about which organization has had a significant influence on the creation of a law.
‘There are limits, even if there are no laws yet’
When asked if it was right that ORF-2 editor-in-chief Matthias Schrom had to leave because of chat messages with ex-FPÖ boss Heinz-Christian Strache, although it was only discussed and not yet intervened, Mak has a clear answer: “ In any case, the population should have the right to ask and demand more ethics in this area.” Atmospheres should not mix with each other, the image that is sent out is anything but optimal. It clearly needs a boundary that needs to be enshrined in law. “But sometimes people also need to understand that there are boundaries that you don’t cross, even if there are no laws.”
No mentality change by U-committees
The problem of the University committees is that many politicians concentrate too much on political small change to actually introduce legal instruments. “The focus has remained on specific causes, laws are being prepared. That doesn’t change the mindset.”
Since Ibiza, little has been done in Austria to bring lobbying and corruption under control. “Many have not seen the link between transparency and anti-corruption. People are only slowly starting to understand that there is a direct connection here and that you have to tackle both things at the same time.”
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Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
