Former Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and the company DSIRF are named in a draft report by the European Parliament’s committee of inquiry.
The use of the controversial spy software Pegasus is apparently widespread in the European Union. “Governments of the EU member states have used spyware against their citizens for political purposes,” according to a draft report published in Brussels on Tuesday by the European Parliament’s Committee of Inquiry (PEGA). There are corresponding indications for Poland, Hungary, Greece, Cyprus and Spain. There are connections to Austria.
Specifically, the report on Austria states that the former Minister of the Interior and current Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) replied in writing to questions from the National Council that Austria was not a customer of the Israeli technology company NSO, which produces the spy software Pegasus. “But former chancellor Sebastian Kurz has close ties to the founder of the NSO group, and DSIRF (Decision Supporting Information Research and Forensic, ed.), a major spyware provider, is based in Austria,” the draft report states. DSIRF and senior members of the company also had close ties with Russia and the Kremlin, according to the draft.
Austrian state security sees no evidence
After security experts from Microsoft accused the company DSIRF of being behind a series of digital break-ins in banks, law firms and strategic consulting firms in at least three countries, the Austrian state security service examined the allegations without any proof of the use of the spyware. DSIRF developed the spyware called “Subzero” that uses so-called zero-day exploits to access confidential information such as passwords or login data, Microsoft said in July.
MEPs: “A European scandal”
“The misuse of spyware in EU member states is a serious threat to democracy across the continent,” said the responsible EU Parliament rapporteur, Dutch Liberal Sophie in ‘t Veld. Spyware not only violates privacy rights, but also undermines democratic institutions and silences opposition and critics. Spyware also has a chilling effect on press freedom and civil society and is used to influence elections. This is “a European scandal” because EU institutions are also being attacked and it affects EU decision-making, said in ‘t Veld.
No official authority wanted to work with her in preparing the report, the Dutch MEP complained. The EU Council also replied to the EU Parliament that it was not responsible for the matter. Therefore, she relied on publicly available sources. The picture is not complete, but very clearly recognizable. “We have 900 pieces from a 1,000-piece puzzle,” says in ‘t Veld.
The EU Commission is vehemently committed to democracy and the fight against fake news, most recently when Elon Musk took over Twitter. “But when the attacks on democracy come from within, the EU Commission remains silent,” says in ‘t Veld. “The EU Commission is showing Musk the muscles, but only attacking member states that use spyware against citizens with kid gloves.”
MEPs call for clarification in Austria
SPÖ-EU MP Hannes Heide, coordinator of the Social Democratic group on the committee, called the extent of the affair shocking and called for stricter EU laws. Above all, the illegal surveillance of politicians – such as PASOK chairman Nikos Androulakis in Greece or journalists, activists and lawyers in Poland and Hungary – is “a threat to democracy and fundamental rights”. In Austria, for example, DSIRF, based in Vienna, sells relevant monitoring software, according to Heide. “The Socialist Group calls for strict EU legislation on the development, sale and use of high-tech surveillance software. The existing legal framework is not sufficient.”
The ÖVP MEP Lukas Mandl, who is a member of the committee of inquiry, also called for clarification in Austria: “To our chagrin, an Austrian company is also suspected here. That needs to be fully clarified. We owe that to the image of Austria in the world. And we must do everything possible to prevent shady activities in Austria and throughout Europe.”
Instruments for looking into the communication of terrorist groups or other criminal networks are important for security, according to Mandl. “However, because such tools are so powerful, it is all the more important that they are not misused
(WHAT)