The Ministry of Justice faces criticism for deporting refugees on a private plane
Parliamentary inquiries from the FPÖ party revealed controversial details about the deportation of refugees from Austria on private planes during the tenure of former Justice Minister Alma Zadić (Greens). According to official data, in one case, a private plane was rented to transport two prisoners to their home country at a cost of 17,900 euros, raising questions about the justification of these expenses.
The current Minister of Justice, Anna Sporer (SPÖ), explained that the choice of transport is based on the destination of the deportation, legal considerations, security, and the need for swift execution. She also confirmed that between 2020 and 2025, only one deportation operation was carried out using a private plane, and the AirPartner company was contracted to carry out this flight.
Sporer confirmed that the use of regular flights was not possible due to the nature of the crimes committed by the deportees, their past records, and their current behavior, which necessitated special security measures.
Regarding the report by the newspaper "Heute" about the exploitation of employees in the ministry for luxurious purposes during these trips, the Minister of Justice merely indicated that the ministry is still investigating these allegations, and if necessary, appropriate administrative measures will be taken.
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