LINZ: A scandal over allegedly improper citizenship applications in Austria’s Upper Austria region has grown to eleven suspected cases, officials confirmed this week, reported by Heute.
What began as four suspected irregularities has now expanded to eleven, with seven additional cases identified in procedures handled by the state government, according to Austrian broadcaster ORF.
Manfred Haimbuchner (FPÖ), the deputy governor responsible for citizenship matters, announced the development in the Upper Austria state parliament. Of the seven newly discovered cases, two appear to have actually resulted in the granting of Austrian citizenship. Together with one previously confirmed case, this means three people may have been improperly naturalized.
At the center of the affair stands a former employee of the Upper Austria state government. The Linz public prosecutor’s office is investigating the woman on suspicion of abuse of official authority. She is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The scandal came to light almost by accident this spring after the tabloid “Kronen Zeitung” reported on irregularities. Officials at the Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum noticed the discrepancy when trying to update an entry for a man from Chechnya in the Central Foreigners Register. They discovered he was already registered as an Austrian citizen.
Closer examination revealed inconsistencies. No corresponding citizenship grant decision could initially be found in the electronic files. The former state employee is said to have known the man from her private circle.
The state government then launched an internal audit and reviewed all procedures handled by the employee. This initially uncovered three further suspicious cases where citizenship had not yet been granted, but processing was unusually advanced.
Now seven additional suspected cases have emerged. According to Haimbuchner, all eleven procedures involve the same former employee.
“In most cases, there is suspicion that files were given preferential treatment for improper reasons and that essential procedural steps were omitted,” Haimbuchner explained in parliament.
It remained unclear whether all seven new cases had already been reported to prosecutors. Haimbuchner said he assumed the state office director, Thomas Schäffer, would file the corresponding report.
The state government has already responded. Citizenship procedures will now face stricter controls, and staff must complete training on corruption prevention.
Austrian citizenship normally requires meeting extensive conditions, including lawful residence, German language skills, and proof of secure livelihood.
