"What I feared has unfortunately materialised. The Ministry of Justice is postponing the start of full operation of the Münnichplatz juvenile detention centre again. First it said 2024, then early 2025, then summer - the list of postponements is long. Now even the most recently mentioned date of the end of this year is not being honoured. Full operation is now apparently planned for the first quarter of 2026. Even though we expected it, it is still a disappointment," said Ombudsperson Gaby Schwarz in response to a corresponding statement by the Ministry of Justice in yesterday's ZiB2 programme.
"I appeal to the responsible Ministry of Justice to finally set up realistic project management so that the young people and also the staff are not constantly exposed to false expectations," said the Ombudsperson, who sees her criticism confirmed by the position of the Youth Ombudsman's Office. "It has long been known that the conditions for juveniles in the permanently overcrowded Josefstadt prison are not ideal. The Gerasdorf juvenile detention centre should not have been closed before Münnichplatz was completed," said Gaby Schwarz, referring to the results of the Ombudsman Board's official review process.
"Even though I expected it, it remains a disappointment", Ombudswoman Gaby Schwarz. Photo: Austrian Ombudsman Board/Paul Gruber