750 secret trips: A Bosnian man on disability pension accused of illegally driving buses
A 61-year-old Bosnian man appeared in court in Vorarlberg on Monday, accused of secretly working as a bus driver while simultaneously receiving unemployment benefits and a disability pension. According to the prosecution, the man is suspected of defrauding the Austrian state of nearly 30,000 euros over five years. This case has garnered significant attention due to its unusual nature and large scale.
The newspaper "Kronen Zeitung" reported that the man made more than 750 trips between Austria, Bosnia, and Croatia during that period. The public prosecutor's office claimed that he worked for a friendly bus company and received payment for these trips. However, the accused categorically denied the charges, asserting that he never worked as a driver and did not receive any money.
Investigations revealed that the man made repeated trips across the border using his private car and later a Volkswagen minibus belonging to his wife, as he does not hold a bus driving license. His wife and son testified in court that he often traveled to Bosnia, but they confirmed that these trips were for personal reasons. Authorities recorded 752 border crossings using 24 different vehicles registered in Austria, Germany, Bosnia, and Switzerland, which surprised the defendant himself when he heard it in court.
The case was initiated after an anonymous report against the man. In March of last year, the Bosnian police stopped him near the Karawanks Tunnel while he was carrying six passengers in his vehicle. The prosecution saw this as evidence that he was running an illegal transport operation, but the accused clarified that he was only transporting the passengers because his friend's bus broke down near the border.
In the end, the court ruled the Bosnian man not guilty due to insufficient evidence proving that he received payment or worked as a professional driver. He was acquitted of all charges, but the ruling has not yet become final.