Austrian Interior Ministry spends €9,000 on ex‑minister Strasser’s birthday celebration

The Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior funded a birthday event for former interior minister Johann Strasser on 29 April 2026, spending roughly €9,000. The ministry classified the gathering as an official “exchange meeting”, citing protocol reasons for the celebration of Strasser’s 70th birthday.

Seventy‑seven guests were invited, of which 61 attended. Costs covered catering, equipment, décor and related items, with €8 730 total recorded. Attendees included current interior minister Gerhard Karner, defence minister Klaudia Tanner, former minister Karl Schlögl and other senior officials, politicians and journalists. Critics, citing a parliamentary enquiry, argue the spending blurs the line between private celebration and public expenditure, raising questions about the use of taxpayer money for symbolic events.

The controversy highlights broader concerns about public‑funded networking and the role of ministries in financing personal milestones of former officials.