Accordingly, in the future banks will no longer have to focus primarily on life expectancy, but on whether there is enough collateral. Support for the proposed legislation was unanimous. It is also about the self-determination of senior citizens, said Minister of Justice Alma Zadic (Greens). Green mandatarin Ulrike Fischer emphasized that there is often a need for investment, especially in old age, for example for a barrier-free bathroom.
The liberal mandatary Christian Ragger also agreed. This anti-discrimination law for seniors was long overdue. VP justice spokeswoman Michaela Steinacker pointed out that people in their mid-50s are already confronted with the problem of loans.
On the part of the SPÖ, Christian Drobits primarily tried to describe the change as a success of the social democratic efforts. He called other factions “free riders”. In return, Neos mandater Nikolaus Scherak pointed out that the currently applicable regulation had been made under a social democratic chancellor.
At the same time, Scherak defended the “bad banks”. Because these were bound by the requirements for the loans that the National Council had specified.
The new regulation stipulates that lending should now be possible in principle, provided that assets “sufficiently guarantee that the open (residual) amount will be covered”. At the same time, it must be probable that the customers will be able to meet the ongoing obligations under the loan agreement during their lifetime. For the heirs, they can continue the ongoing loan repayments and thus avoid realization.
Before that, the National Council also unanimously had good news for finders. Finds worth up to 100 euros can be kept more quickly in the future if the owner does not get in touch. Currently you have to be patient for a year, from May it will only be six months. For more valuable items, the period remains at one year.
Criminal offense “terrorist threats” decided
In addition, the criminal offense of “terrorist threats” was unanimously decided. It is de facto a clarification at the request of the EU, as the justice spokeswoman for the Greens, Agnes Sirkka Prammer, explained. Terror must be fought effectively at every stage, she stressed. A threat of “terrorist aptitude” and intent carries a prison sentence of six months to five years. This involves crimes such as murder, bodily harm, kidnapping for extortion, aggravated coercion, serious damage to property and air piracy.
An empty threat is also in the sense of the terrorists because it simply creates fear, explained Johanna Jachs (ÖVP). “Under no circumstances should we allow terrorists to be successful with their strategies.” Johannes Margreiter from NEOS said it was right to adapt the penal code. One must remain very vigilant against terrorism. The government could do more, said SPÖ mandater Harald Troch. FPÖ MP Christian Ragger thinks the simplest thing would be to close the border to keep IS terrorists away.
Source: Nachrichten
