Agreement on Messenger Surveillance Reached

The federal government agreed on Wednesday at the Council of Ministers on the surveillance of messenger services in cases of specific threats. This was preceded by long negotiations, at times threatened to fail due to the NEOS. "It was always important to us to find a constitutionally compliant solution," emphasized party leader and Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger. ÖVP Interior Minister Gerhard Karner will present the details at a press conference later in the morning.

Government Agrees on Messenger Surveillance

"It is an enormous step that has been achieved here," said Meinl-Reisinger. It is a targeted surveillance with "extremely strong parliamentary control and strong consequences in case of abuse," she emphasized after the Council of Ministers. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) will inform about the specific design in a press conference at 11:30 AM.

FPÖ Criticizes

Sharp criticism came from the Freedom Party. Secretary General Michael Schnedlitz sees "nothing more than the entry into total digital surveillance of the population." The ÖVP wants to "spy on government-critical citizens, the SPÖ remains silent - as always, when it goes against the people - and the NEOS make the biggest turnaround in their history," he is quoted in a statement. He sees a deal behind the NEOS' current support: "What did it cost? What positions, promises, or unpleasantness were promised in backrooms so that the NEOS now play 'pink training wheels' for the black surveillance state?"

He recalled the criticism made in advance by church representatives, IT experts, and NGOs. According to Schnedlitz, surveillance measures would not make Austria safer: "While radical Islamists are allowed to continue expanding their parallel societies unchallenged, this surveillance measure clearly targets government critics. Karner, Stocker & Co obviously have more fear of Telegram groups than of Islamist threats with knives in hand." Instead, he demands "a prohibition law against political Islam, an immediate asylum stop, real deportations, and a consistent remigration strategy."

(APA/Red)

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