AUSTRIA'S 500,000 FOREIGNERS TO BE REGISTERED IN A NEW POLICE-DATABASE
All data on foreigners (except tourists) will be filed in a new computer database of the Austrian aliens police. The creation of the new database is connected with the planned law on residence which introduces an annual maximum quota for immigration.
The new law on the aliens police provides for the general registration of personal and even criminal identification data of foreigners intending to stay in the country for a period exceeding a tourist stay. As a routine, foreigners will now be interviewed by the immigration service. Medical examination and criminal identification are compulsory for all asylum seekers.
"A growing crime rate forces us to introduce such measures", Franz L"schnak, the Interior minister, said. According to L"schnak, an estimated 500,000 foreigners living in Austria will be affected by this screening.
In order to be able to carry out the project, Mr L"schnak demanded the acquisition of a new macro-computer which should include the general aliens register, an improved information system on asylum seekers and an "adapted" criminal information system. The Interior minister has furthermore presented the first balance-sheet for the "automation supported fingerprint-system" (AFIS). It enables the automatic identification of fingerprints. Compared with 1990 the success rate has risen by 600% (ten-fingerprints), respectively 300% (one-fingerprints). At present the register contains just under 500,000 fingerprints.
Sources: Die Presse, 16.2.92; Der Standard, 13.3.92