Austria reveals fraud : Over 1,000 Kosovars stole state, investigates even against family members

These trips were carried out in co-operation with about 1,000 Kosovars who have already been found to have deceived the Austrian state by benefiting financial support illegally.

After some interviews were conducted and a scan of social security agencies, it has been found that these persons were registered in Austria as unemployed and had benefited financially or even received financial support for their families, while most of the time they have not stayed in Austria, but have only registered to receive financial benefits.

As reported in Austria's Ministry of Internal Affairs communiqué, it has been very difficult to uncover such long-term fraud, since some people have been registered at a similar home address.

At the moment that checks have been carried out by the Employment Offices in Austria, the people in question have been notified by someone and traveled immediately from Kosovo to Austria.

Furthermore, these individuals had even made counterfeit health - insurance records in Austria and that the Austrian state has covered their health checks.

Among the persons suspected are bus executives who have also been found to have registered as unemployed even though they had received salaries for the trips they had made.

Moreover, family members of bus executives who have abused social benefits are also being investigated.

The public prosecutor of Styrias in Graz, Austria, is being taken into account.

We need to take a look. If we want to keep our social system intact in the long run, he should also be better protected from fraud”, Interior Minister Carl Nehammer said on the case of discovering a major social service fraud by Kosovo citizens in Styria.

Austria's Interior Affairs Minister Carl Nehammer has also spoken of the case.

If we want to keep our social system intact in the long term, we need to protect it much better from fraud”, he said.

Nehammer is happy to reveal the case as he already says Austria's taxpayers' money is saving and that further payments have been prevented.

My thanks go to all those involved in investigating these crimes. ”, he said.

The Austrian minister has also said that <x0 social benefits are used by those who need state support”.

Whatever the case, there are people who want to get benefits unjustly and weaken the social system and the economy we have to act in line with circumstances and implement sanctions.”, Carl Nehammer has concluded..