Because of regulars' table slogan

Extradition requested for FPÖ mandatary Stefan

The Freedom Party politicians Harald Stefan (left) and Norbert Nemeth.

(Bild: APA/ROLAND SCHLAGER / APA / picturedesk.com)

The Vienna public prosecutor's office has requested the extradition of Harald Stefan due to comments he made at an FPÖ regulars' table. The Freedom Party member had referred to Afghan refugees as "rabble". The public prosecutor's office now wants to investigate on suspicion of incitement to hatred.

In order to be able to start the investigation against Harald Stefan, Stefan's immunity must first be lifted by the National Council. A spokeswoman for the public prosecutor's office confirmed this plan on Thursday.

Migrants are "rabble"
At the secretly recorded event in Vienna-Simmering at the beginning of January, Stefan had spoken of being "sent to the country" in Afghanistan if you behaved "stupidly" in a city. "There are regional tribal chiefs there. And they have it halfway under control." If someone still doesn't "track", they are sent to Europe - so you only get the "last riff-raff" here.

Sharp shots were also fired against the ÖVP, with whom the FPÖ was still negotiating a coalition at the time, and against the EU. At the regulars' table, the FPÖ club was said to have used exaggerated language.

International treaties such as the European Convention on Human Rights should either be completely abolished or supplemented, Tschank said at the FPÖ regulars' table.

(Bild: APA Pool/APA/HANS PUTZ)

The public prosecutor's office did not explain why only Stefan's extradition was requested, but not that of FPÖ MP Markus Tschank - who also had his say at the regulars' table. The request was based on an anonymous statement of facts. 

In the event of Stefan's extradition, the Vienna Public Prosecutor's Office would include the incitement proceedings in an ongoing investigation against Stefan, FPÖ MP Martin Graf and Freedom Party Club Director Norbert Nemeth.

Investigations on suspicion of Nazi reactivation
In connection with their participation in the funeral of a long-standing member of the "Olympia" fraternity, who was laid to rest at Hernals cemetery on September 27, 2024, the three are being investigated on suspicion of National Socialist reactivation. It must be investigated whether the three had joined in singing the folk song "Wenn alle untreu werden" at the open grave and whether they sang the original version or the version modified by the SS.

The three FPÖ representatives deny the accusations made against them. The investigations in this regard have not yet been completed, the prosecution spokeswoman announced on Thursday.