Terror plans

ÖVP insists on messenger monitoring despite rebuff

The intelligence services must be able to "keep pace", it was emphasized.

(Bild: DENYS PRYKHODOV/stock.adobe.com)

After the thwarted attack on a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna, the ÖVP continues to insist on its plans to have Messenger monitored in future. This annoys the other parties.

The previous day was a "holiday for terrorists and organized crime", ÖVP Secretary General Christian Stocker said in harsh words at a press conference on Wednesday. A "united party", including the FPÖ and the Green coalition partner, was responsible for this.

Stocker described the fact that the SPÖ, FPÖ, Greens and NEOS were united on this issue as "remarkable". The FPÖ is apparently living in this "united party of danger" exactly what it accuses its competitors of, and FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl is in their midst. "Green and red obviously have no problem with blue," said the ÖVP Secretary General at the press conference at the ÖVP headquarters in Vienna's Lichtenfelsgasse, standing alone for the "security of the people". In any case, the People's Party does not want to be swayed or diverted from its path.

Our intelligence services are lagging behind
The People's Party wants to see its draft law implemented, particularly with regard to so-called messenger surveillance. The intelligence services must be able to "keep pace", Stocker emphasized. However, the ÖVP security spokesperson qualified that this would only be possible in "individual cases", for certain serious offenses such as terrorism and under strict conditions. In order to minimize the risk of an attack, however, intelligence services would have to be given the opportunity to "read along".

When asked about the possible implementation of the plan before the election, Stocker said that he would be pleased. "I lack faith," he said, referring to the unanimous rejection of his fellow candidates in the Security Council the previous evening. "If you want to achieve something, you find a solution. If you want to prevent something, you find a reason," said Stocker. However, he also identified "remnants of reason and common sense" among representatives of other parties, in particular the SPÖ.

Instead of watching terrorists, we are now watching the intelligence services.

ÖVP-Generalsekretär Christian Stocker

Bild: APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER

ÖVP does not want to evaluate the intelligence services
When asked about the ÖVP's refusal to evaluate the deployment of the intelligence services in the case of the attack plans, Stocker explained that they had "worked in an exemplary manner" despite limited resources. In general, "mistrust is completely inappropriate here", there is no basis for this. Furthermore, the security service had already provided all information and answered all questions. The ÖVP Secretary General refused to "cast doubt" on the intelligence services: "Instead of monitoring terrorists, we are now monitoring the intelligence services." In any case, the responsible control commission would work "without instructions" and "does not need to be called out".

In any case, Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) will not comply with the request of the National Security Council to have a commission evaluate the deployment of the state security services in connection with the prevented attack on a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna. One of the reasons given by Karner was that he would not allow the Directorate of State Security Intelligence Services (DSN) to be exposed to "party political carnage".

Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP)

(Bild: APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)

Greens react angrily
The Greens were outraged by the criticism from their coalition partner. "If the ÖVP now shouts 'unity party' and compares strong Green women with right-wing agitators, it legitimizes what it is supposedly fighting against: the right-wing extremist FPÖ," criticized the Secretary General of the Greens, Olga Voglauer, in the short message service X. During a press conference in the morning, she accused Stocker of "changing political small change".

With regard to messenger surveillance, Voglauer reiterated the Greens' concerns that fundamental rights and freedoms must be safeguarded. The Greens believe that the coalition partner is responsible for the fact that no progress has been made on the issue since the draft law was presented by the Ministry of the Interior months ago. There had been repeated discussions in which the Greens had expressed their unanswered questions, but nothing had happened, said Voglauer. The Greens reject a shortening of the review period in order to pass the law before the National Council elections. "Regardless of whether there is an election date, a six-week review period is simply necessary" in order to evaluate the proposals in a broad discussion with experts from all areas such as data protection, constitutional law and technical issues, "so that there is viable legislation at the end", said Voglauer. By bringing in experts, this could certainly succeed.

On Wednesday, the NEOS once again criticized the fact that they had not even received the government's Messenger draft. Secretary General Douglas Hoyos also expressed "major concerns" on the sidelines of the election campaign poster presentation as to whether the regulation is constitutional.

Nehammer stood alone in the National Security Council ...
 Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) had his package of demands following the prevented attack on a Taylor Swift concert rejected by the National Security Council on Tuesday evening. None of the other parliamentary groups agreed to demands such as messenger monitoring, a tightening of the Political Parties Act and an extension of detention for non-deradicalized persons. Instead, there was a broad majority in favor of examining the use of state security.