Reform of the public prosecutor: civil society demands more transparency!

Reform of the public prosecutor: civil society demands more transparency!

Wels-Land, Österreich - In Austria, three new prosecutors were chosen today. The public prosecutor plays an essential role in the protection of human rights and is supposed to act independently and transparently. According to the information from Kleine Zeitung nominate the three most mandate parties, who are then elected by the National Council for six years. However, this process is increasingly criticized.

While the National Council chose the new public lawyers, the demand for reforms of the appointment was loud. Representatives of civil society stimulated a reform on November 20 that should provide for a transparent and inclusive selection process in order to strengthen the independence of the public prosecutor. These suggestions were supported by Amnesty International and other organizations.

demands for reforms

The changes required include several central points. The position is to be advertised publicly in order to achieve qualified candidates. It is also sought that candidates from different social areas as well as different educational and professional backgrounds are taken into account. An open selection process is necessary to ensure the principles of objectivity and social participation. These reforms are in accordance with international standards, such as the Parisian principles, demand transparency and independence in such procedures.

The current order of the public lawyers is made by suggestions from the major parties, which can weaken trust in human rights institution. This was also taken up by OTS that indicate the defects in relation to transparency and participation. Despite the recognition of the reform needs by the Austrian Federal Government as part of the universal periodic review in 2021, no structural changes have been implemented.

praise and criticism of the new prosecutors

Despite the controversy around the order procedure, the suitability of the newly elected public lawyers was praised. Norbert Nemeth from the FPÖ described the prosecutor Luisser as "great" and referred to her valuable experiences, especially in Lower Austria. Her predecessor, Elisabeth Schwetz, returns to her profession as a district chief.

The incumbent public lawyer Schwarz is described as a "persistent fighter" who campaigns for equality. At the same time, Agnes Sirkka Prammer expresses concerns about the waiver of the waiver of a hearing in the parliamentary selection process and emphasizes the need for a change in the law to ensure transparency and quality. Douglas Hoyos from the Neos also calls for more transparency in the ordering process, which has so far been neglected for reasons of time and budget.

The debate about the reform of the order procedure remains unresolved for the time being. However, a change in the law is already in planning, and it remains to be seen whether the new public prosecutors will be able to meet the challenges in their offices and to actively work on the improvement of the framework for their institution.