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Austrian gov't announces 290-mln-euro investment in fight against terrorism

Xinhua, January 21, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Austrian federal government Tuesday announced it would spend up to 290 million euros (about 335 million U.S. dollars) on a security package in the fight against terrorism over the next four years.

The details provided by Chancellor Werner Faymann and Vice-Chancellor Reinhold Mitterlehner at a presentation in Vienna showed the largest proportion of the offensive, 146 million U.S. dollars, would go toward personnel, including the additional training of specialists for cyber security, crime fighting, and forensic science.

Technology would also receive a massive upgrade, with 40 million dollars spent on IT including an upgrade of the Schengen Information System governmental database and the preservation of evidence.

Other major areas of funding would be for field and protective equipment (33.5 million dollars), IT security including increased mobility (29 million dollars), infrastructure (18.5 million dollars), and communications (15 million dollars).

Faymann said he was pleased about the "rapid, decisive, and cooperative demeanour" of the coalition government.

Mittelehner said the security package was a consequence of the recent terrorist attacks in Paris and as a buffer against stronger forms of radicalization.

He added that it was only a part of government measures, which also include the banning of terrorist symbols and a stricter Citizenship Act.

Negotiations between the interior and defence ministries regarding the details of the package had been ongoing prior to the announcement. Endit