Dates from 1925 – government wants to abolish professional secrecy before autumn

Some people would have been concerned. The official secrecy dates back to 1925. It states that civil servants are bound to secrecy about facts that have become known to them if there is a public interest in keeping them secret. For this too, a predominant interest of other people is sufficient. A violation of professional secrecy can have consequences under civil service law, employment law and criminal law.

Austria is the last democracy in Europe with such a law that has constitutional status. “We are in the last meters of freedom of information. I assume that the parliamentary process can start in the autumn at the latest,” Constitutional Minister Karoline Edtstadler (ÖVP) said on Monday evening. The abolition has been in the works for years. Edtstadler and Vice-Chancellor Werner Kogler (Greens) have recently rounds have been made with states, municipalities and cities, especially among municipalities because of the feared bureaucracy.

No more hiding
That’s why it “needed a lot of convincing for those who were concerned,” Edtstadler said. In the future, the administration will no longer be able to hide behind professional secrecy. The constitutional minister announced that she intends to stay abreast of justice issues. The rights of the accused should be strengthened in proceedings and criminal records should not be cited. In addition, the Public Prosecution Service for Economic Affairs and Corruption (WKStA) must be reformed, although it does not expect any further reforms in this legislature.