Expert on "Ott case":

“Wouldn’t have thought something like this was possible”

Paul Schliefsteiner heads up the Austrian Center for Intelligence, Propaganda & Security Studies in Graz, one of the most important espionage research centers in the German-speaking world.(Bild: Pail Sepp)

The "Ott case" has brought the Graz espionage center increasingly into the spotlight. Head Paul Schliefsteiner talks about the lessons to be learned from the scandal and the threat of mass surveillance.

"Krone": Mr. Schliefsteiner, you have been researching secret services and espionage for years. What was your first thought when you heard about the "Ott case"?
Paul Schliefsteiner: Although we already knew a lot about the conditions at the BVT (Federal Office for State Protection and Counterterrorism, editor's note), I would never have imagined that something like this was possible in Austria. Above all, I was amazed at the long period of time during which insider knowledge could flow. It certainly doesn't reflect well on the Austrian state apparatus.