The European Convention should be ratified quickly and national legislation adapted
Vienna (PK) – Austria should strengthen international cooperation in the area of organ trafficking and better protect the rights of victims. The Social Democrats have taken action to achieve this Justice Committee the initiative. Because the topic is also explosive for the ÖVP, the Greens and NEOS, a joint motion for a resolution was introduced during the meeting, which was adopted with the votes of all parties. The MPs also dealt with an FPÖ proposal that prisoners should receive statutory health insurance.
Together against illegal organ trafficking
In a motion for a resolution (3879/A(E)) a. It is said that the human rights violations that are taking place primarily affect people who are politically persecuted and imprisoned. Petra Bayr (SPÖ) gave the example of the Uyghurs, who were being subjected to forced removals. A parliamentary question answer from 2021 showed that the topic had been pursued for a long time, but “not much has come of it,” said Bayr.
The SPÖ representative was all the more pleased that “the core” of her proposal was taken up by the coalition factions and NEOS and that a joint motion for a resolution could be submitted during the meeting. Green mandatary Georg Bürstmayr thanked the SPÖ for the initiative; the human rights issue had already been “intensively discussed” 20 years ago, said Bürstmayr. Gertraud Salzmann (ÖVP) pointed out at the meeting that the ratification of the convention would require, among other things, the creation of criminal offenses that have not yet been implemented in Austrian law. It thus provided the reason why the convention, which objectively came into force in 2018, has not yet been ratified in Austria. Salzmann was convinced that this was necessary. “I think that we will implement this during this government period,” said the ÖVP representative. The initiative was also rated positively by the FPÖ mandataries. The four-party motion was approved unanimously.
FPÖ wants to save costs with health insurance for prisoners
Because, according to FPÖ MP Christian Lausch (ÖVP), the medical costs for the care of criminals are “eating up” the justice budget and, according to parliamentary group colleague Christian Ragger, the costs in this area are the highest in Europe, prisoners should be included in social security (1736/A(E)). The “private patient offender” is a great burden; hospitals “are happy to accept him because we pay in full,” said Lausch. While care for the population is getting worse, it is not understandable that inmates in prisons should not have to wait months for appointments. The FPÖ is therefore calling for them to be included in statutory health insurance and thus reduce costs. “If you think economically economically, you agree with that,” emphasized Lausch.
Gudrun Kugler (ÖVP) agreed that costs would have to be reduced here, but she doubted the path that the Freedom Party was proposing. “Simply adding them to social security causes further problems. Many are not Austrian citizens, which raises the question of co-insurance for family members,” she gave one reason and submitted an application for a postponement. Justice Minister Alma Zadić admitted that at the beginning of her term in office she had thought about including criminals in social security. She can now understand the resistance that existed back then. So there would be a right to treatment or rehab – “that raises the question of security. How do we do that? That also costs,” explained the minister. Instead, talks are now being held to negotiate a special tariff for the treatment of inmates in prisons and thus save money. Investments are also being made in telemedicine, which can also save capacity, says Zadić. The FPÖ motion was postponed with the votes of the coalition parties.
As well as two other requests from the Freedom Party. These were initiatives that had already been discussed and postponed in the committee in the past. On the one hand, the FPÖ called for impeding assistance in accidents – for example by onlookers or “climate glue” – to be made a criminal offense (2939/A). On the other hand, the Freedom Party suggests that the “degradation of religious teachings” should be eliminated in criminal law, as this would restrict “political discourse and freedom of expression” (1942/A).
SPÖ application for property disturbance penalties in private parking spaces
Based on a media report, the SPÖ submitted a motion that concerns the protection of property (4018/A(E)) and detects abuse. MP Selma Yildirim explained that many drivers are currently receiving warning letters because they have driven over private property or turned around there. “Entrepreneurs” made this their main source of income and sent out masses of letters. Those affected would be asked to pay up to €400. “Many pay for it, few inquire. Clearly the area is not adequately assessed,” said Yildirim, calling for property protection law to be modernized. Under no circumstances is it about undermining property rights, but rather about preventing excessive, abusive actions. The NEOS provided content support for this. However, Johannes Margreiter (NEOS) suggests not intervening in the protection of property – “a mainstay of coexistence” – but rather introducing a preliminary procedure before the action for interference with property. In this context, FPÖ member Christian Ragger asked the question of how contemporary the property disruption still was. Gudrun Salzmann (ÖVP) said that a solution could be found here even without changing the law and submitted a request for a postponement. This was approved with a majority of votes from the Greens and ÖVP. A second motion from the Social Democrats was also postponed.
It was about the systematic oppression and discrimination of women based on their gender and the expansion of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (3804/A(E)). From the SPÖ’s point of view, it would be essential that gender-based apartheid can be prosecuted as a separate criminal offense within the framework of crimes against humanity. Petra Bayr (SPÖ) had already discussed this point in the Human Rights Committee the day before. “Austria should take the initiative here,” she calls on the Justice Minister. Gudrun Kugler (ÖVP) voted “yes” to expanding the statute in the committee. “But why should we only look at the issue of gender?” she asked, religion or culture were just as relevant and not taken into account in the statute.
Resumed NEOS initiatives postponed again
Three NEOS motions were back on the agenda, but again they were postponed with the votes of the coalition parties. Including the demand for an independent federal prosecutor (361/A(E)). Nikolaus Scherak appealed to the coalition parties to agree on a “sensible compromise”. The initiative to amend the Public Prosecutor’s Office Act (3489/A) was postponed with Georg Bürstmayr (Greens) pointing out that there were transparency conflicts in the creation of corresponding regulations and asking for understanding.
Another NEOS application concerned the Arbitration Law Amendment Act 2006 (3826/A). This has subjected arbitration agreements with consumers to very strict restrictions, explained NEOS mandater Johannes Margreiter. In principle, arbitration law should be discussed, replied Klaus Fürlinger (ÖVP). Minister Zadić thanked the proposal and said: “I think there are more things that should be considered and that should be reformed.” She ended the debate by pointing out that all stakeholders involved here had been invited. (Conclusion of the Justice Committee) map
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