Austria faces pressure to overhaul gun test laws, data privacy rules questioned, and foreign nurses recruited to fill staff shortages—plus more stories from Austria on Friday.
Experts call for overhaul of gun licence psychological testing
Austria’s psychological screening process for firearms licences is under scrutiny following the Graz school shooting. The shooter had p***ed the standard test just two months before killing ten people, despite clear signs of mental instability.
According to Der Standard, weapons psychologists argue that the ***essment methods are outdated and fail to reflect modern diagnostic standards.
The current system includes a multiple-choice test and a short interview. Though recently tightened to prevent “opinion shopping,” experts say group testing and outdated methods still undermine results. Only around five percent of applicants fail the test.
Army deemed shooter unfit—but couldn’t share findings
The man who carried out the deadly attack in Graz had previously failed Austria’s military psychological ***essment, yet was still granted a firearms licence weeks later.
Kurier reported that army psychologists flagged the 21-year-old as too introverted and emotionally unstable for service. However, strict data protection laws prevented this information from being p***ed to civilian gun licensing authorities.
Politicians from the Freedom Party (FPÖ) are now demanding legal changes to allow such red flags to be shared. Army sources said a simple cross-check could have prevented the licence from being issued.
Dozens of complaints over media coverage of Graz attack
The Austrian Press Council has received more than 80 formal complaints about how media outlets covered the Graz shooting, according to Der Standard.
Critics said several outlets violated privacy rules by showing footage of students being evacuated and images of the shooter’s family home.
Some reports included unblurred photos of the suspect, interviews with relatives, and emotionally charged visuals. The Press Council will begin reviewing the complaints on July 1st.
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Austria’s healthcare costs surged to €57bn in 2024
Austria’s healthcare expenditure rose by 8 percent in 2024, reaching €57.03 billion, according to ORF.
This brings health spending to 11.8 percent of GDP, up 0.6 points from 2023. The increase reflects rising costs across both public and private sectors, particularly in hospitals, long-term care, and outpatient treatment.
Public entities such as the federal government, municipalities and insurance providers accounted for roughly €43.5 billion. Private households and non-profits contributed the remaining €13.5 billion—nearly a 10 percent rise year-on-year.
Vienna to recruit 600 foreign nurses through new training programme
To address an acute staffing shortage, Vienna is launching the #Nurses4Vienna project to bring around 600 qualified nurses from abroad over the next five years.
As Die Presse reported, the city is working with international universities to train candidates in both the German language and Austrian healthcare practices.
The first recruits from Jordan arrived last December and are currently completing a nine-month integration programme. City officials estimate that at least 9,000 additional nurses will be needed in Vienna alone by 2030.
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Another ATM blown up in Vienna overnight
Two ATMs were destroyed in an explosion at a Bank Austria branch in Donaustadt in the early hours of Thursday morning.
According to ORF, the blast caused significant damage to the bank’s foyer. Police suspect a Dutch criminal gang already linked to several similar attacks in Austria this year.
The suspects escaped despite a major search. Authorities are urging anyone with information to contact the State Criminal Police Office.
ECB forecasts sharp decline in eurozone wage growth
Wage growth in the eurozone is expected to slow significantly through 2025, raising concerns that inflation could fall below target.
Die Presse cited a new European Central Bank tracker predicting 1.7 percent growth in the final quarter of next year, down from 5.4 percent in 2023.
The ECB sees this as a sign that inflation is under control, but some economists worry wage stagnation could dampen recovery. Unemployment remains low at 6.2 percent, and further interest rate cuts are not ruled out.
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