The EU Commission recommends Austria to continue the establishment of an independent federal prosecutor’s office according to “European standards”. In addition, the judiciary should be involved in the appointment of high-ranking court presidents, according to the report by the EU Commission on the rule of law presented on Wednesday. The report also once again expresses concerns about high state advertising expenditure and the associated political influence.
Improved efficiency of the justice system
Basically, the EU Commission confirms that the efficiency of Austria’s judicial system has continued to improve, especially for administrative cases, “and the level of perceived judicial independence is still very high”. A number of important reform efforts are underway. Justice Minister Alma Zadić is also pleased, who replied in a broadcast: “These results show that we are on the right track. I will continue to do everything I can to strengthen trust in the judiciary and to ensure their independent work in the long term.”
Regarding the commission’s recommendation regarding an independent federal prosecutor, the justice minister says that this is “the next logical step towards further structural safeguarding of the independence of the judiciary.” This means that investigations can be carried out with even less influence, leaving more time and resources for the actual investigative work.
Edtstadler wants to study recommendations
Minister for Europe and the Constitution, Karoline Edtstadler (ÖVP), announced that she would study the recommendations closely with a view to possible improvements. “The EU Commission’s report certifies that Austria has a high standard in all areas of the rule of law,” she said. “Without a doubt, there are only a few places in the world that have such strong institutions as Austria.” Where the report sees room for improvement, central reforms have been initiated. The rule of law is a cornerstone of the EU and a prerequisite for cooperation in the legal community and community of values.
The EU Commission also criticizes the working conditions for the media. “While the standards of the journalism profession are good, journalists have faced threats and harassment, particularly during protests,” the report said. However, the legal environment for media in Austria is strong and media institutions function independently.
While the independence of the public service media is legally secured, there are “challenges” with regard to political influence on the filling of management posts. There is also a lack of a comprehensive and enforceable legal framework for access to documents, and a draft law has not made any progress.
This is where Zadic sees media minister Susanne Raab’s turn: “The long-planned amendments to the law on media transparency and press funding must be implemented quickly,” said the justice minister.
The other recommendations of the EU Commission also include the completion of the legal revision of the rules for party financing and corresponding audit options for the Court of Auditors. Furthermore, Austria should introduce effective rules for declaring financial interests for members of parliament, combined with efficient monitoring and sanction mechanisms. The legal framework for awarding state advertising should be reformed at all levels to ensure fairness and transparency.
Source: Nachrichten
