21 minutes ago56-year-old Austrian has sold residence permits to 29 Kosovars: 9000 euros per person
Periskopi(7 years ago)
(7 years ago)At the Land Court, Wiener Neustadt has launched a major court process Wednesday with 51 people charged. The main defendant is a 56-year-old Austrian official who is charged with selling permission to foreigners in Austria, APA reports. In addition, three mediators are charged as well as [...]
At the Land Court, Wiener Neustadt has launched a major court process Wednesday with 51 people charged. The main defendant is a 56-year-old Austrian official who is charged with selling permission to foreigners in Austria, APA reports.
In addition, three mediators as well as 47 persons who have benefited with payment residence permits are charged. Among them are 29 Kosovo citizens.
According to his lawyer's statement, the chief accused (56-year-old official) has partially pleaded guilty, allegedly misusing the official position, but has rejected the corruption charge, broadcast albinfo.ch.ch. The man mentioned is accused of giving up residence permits for foreigners without backing the asylum law.
In doing so, he has never shared positive decisions of asylum (recognition on the basis of asylum research), but various residence permits. He had received money for this service - several thousand euros each time.
The charges were made for the first known in April 2017. The official in question has been employed in an external office (departed) of the Federal Foreign and Foreign Home Agency (BFA). After making the case known, he has been suspended from work.
In addition to 29-Kosovaries, there are seven citizens of Serbia, 6 of Macedonia, 2 of Bosnia, one from Croatia, one from Ukraine and one from Moldova.
Other Austrian media also write that depending on state affiliation they have paid up to 9,000 euros per person, albinfo.ch conveys. According to them, a Bosnian translator has served as a mediator, and she has taken for each case brokered by 500 euros.
Because of the large number of participants: 51 accused, 51 lawyers, and four translators had become narrow in the courtroom morning of Wednesday. That's why the process has been passed through video footage broadcast in the second room.
Similarly, due to the large number of indictees, 16 court hearings have been envisioned by December 18th.
The top defendant, if convicted, is expected to receive a prison sentence of up to 5 years.
