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Offices of Austrian Chancellor Kurz’s party raided in Vienna

Austria's ruling People's Party (OeVP) said it had been targeted by raids from prosecutors on Wednesday morning, with local media reporting that offices in the chancellery were among those searched.

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz walks through the rain holding an umbrella.
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and his party have had their offices raided. Photo: JOE KLAMAR / AFP

Cellphones and documents were confiscated in the raids, which Austrian media reported was connected to ongoing corruption allegations. 

Deputy OeVP general secretary Gaby Schwarz confirmed the prosecutors’ actions but did not confirm who was being investigated, saying only that raids were “for show” and that “accusations were constructed over events that date back as far as five years”.

According to Die Presse newspaper, raids also took place in the chancellery and targeted several employees of OeVP Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.

The newspaper reported that the raids related to possible corruption offences in the publication of adverts and opinion polls in the Oesterreich daily.

Kurz himself is allegedly suspected of being an accessory to the offences, it added.

OeVP Finance Minister Gernot Bluemel said there had been a raid at his ministry but said it did not concern him personally or his time in office.

Kurz began his second term as chancellor in January 2020 at the head of a coalition with the Green party.

His previous government, a coalition with the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe), fell apart in May 2019 over the so-called “Ibiza-gate” corruption scandal.

After ex-FPOe chief Heinz-Christian Strache was caught on camera appearing to offer public contracts in exchange for campaign help for the FPOe, investigators launched several sprawling investigations into alleged corruption in Austrian politics.

Some of these have targeted high-ranking OeVP figures, including Bluemel. Kurz himself is under investigation on suspicion of making false statements to a parliamentary committee on corruption, though he has not been charged.

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POLICE

Austria to summon Hungary ambassador over human smugglers’ release

Austria's foreign ministry said it will summon the Hungarian ambassador later Monday after Budapest revealed its plans to release hundreds of convicted human smugglers from prison, citing high costs.

Austria to summon Hungary ambassador over human smugglers' release

Last month, the Hungarian government issued a decree, which allows for the release of up to 700 foreign detainees convicted of people smuggling, provided they leave the country within 72 hours.

“We expect an immediate and complete clarification from Hungary and have… summoned the Hungarian Ambassador to the Foreign Ministry in Vienna for an urgent meeting this afternoon,” the ministry said in a statement on Monday.

READ ALSO: How many travellers are turned away at European borders because of 90 day limit?

“We are very concerned about reports of the Hungarian government’s decree to release… convicted human smugglers,” it said. “As a neighbouring country, this decision… has a direct impact on our security,” it added.

Over the weekend, Austria’s Interior Ministry said it would tighten border checks with Hungary, especially focusing on vehicles coming from Hungary, Romania and Serbia.

Following an unconfirmed Hungarian media report that several convicted people smugglers have been released, the Austrian ministry instructed its head of public safety to contact the Hungarian authorities and “prepare and initiate… countermeasures”.

READ ALSO: EU’s planned biometric border check system ‘delayed again’

“Smugglers are criminals who belong to organised crime. Their brutal acts endanger human lives,” the ministry said.

On Sunday, Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg discussed the matter with his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto. The Hungarian government did not immediately reply to a request by AFP to confirm whether it has started to enforce the decree.

Budapest has justified the decree, stating that its taxpayers should no longer need to pay the high costs associated with imprisoning foreign criminals.

Hungary also said the number of prisoners convicted of crimes related to human trafficking has been increasing in recent years.

READ ALSO: Reader Question: Does a passport renewal restart the 90 day clock for visiting Austria?

According to information provided by the Hungarian government, 2,600 foreign convicts from 73 countries are currently being held in Hungarian prisons.

Some 700 detainees would be affected by the measure.

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