The Austrian government on Wednesday announced plans for a new federal office to supervise the work of public prosecutors.
Until now, this task has been the responsibility of the Justice Ministry.
“I will probably be the last minister of justice to head the public prosecutor’s offices and issue instructions, and that is a good thing,” said minister Anna Sporrer after the government adopted the reform plan.
The office would consist of three federal prosecutors. They are to be elected for a single term of office of six years and alternate in the chairmanship every two years.
In recent years, various investigations into top politicians have led to calls for a greater separation of politics and the judiciary.
The most high-profile case is the corruption investigation currently underway against former chancellor Sebastian Kurz.
The creation of a federal public prosecutor’s office would remove the theoretical possibility of someone being able to influence criminal proceedings due to their position or contacts, said Sporrer.
“The rule of law will be strengthened” by the change, she said.
It is not yet clear when the judicial panel will be set up. A law to start the formal process still has to be formulated and passed in parliament.