Paneuropa Austria warns against Bitcoin ban!
Paneuropa Austria warns against Bitcoin ban!
Bans and the surveillance of all payment transactions lead to a transparent citizen and a totalitarian state!
Following the frequent promotion of cash bans or the introduction of cash limits in recent years (already a reality in some European states), Austrian politicians are now causing a stir with calls for a ban on the virtual currency Bitcoin. Stefan Schennach, a member of the Federal Council for the SPÖ, demanded this last week.
“This is nothing less than a demand for a further step in the curtailment of freedom,” warns Philipp Jauernik, Federal Chairman of Paneuropa Youth Austria, noting that it is “more than sobering that politicians can think of nothing better than wanting to ban technological developments!”
The justification for the Bitcoin ban includes the argument of fighting terrorism—an argument already familiar from the push to ban cash. To date, of course, not a single case has been proven in which terrorist activities were financed with Bitcoins.
“Furthermore, a regional—meaning Austria-wide—or even a Europe-wide ban would achieve absolutely nothing in a world as internationally networked as ours today,” emphasises Stefan Haböck, International Officer of Paneuropa Austria. “Moreover, it would be impossible and illusory to simply ‘ban’ such technical developments.”
While cooperation between European intelligence and security services fails, France continues to suspend various civil rights under a state of emergency, the protection of external borders is only just beginning due to blockades by various nation-states, and attacks are carried out with illegal weapons from former army stocks despite the strictest weapons regulations, politicians occupy themselves with side issues to further curtail the freedom of citizens. History teaches us that such freedoms do not return so easily, yet their curtailment creates no security.
The Paneuropa Movement Austria rejects further restrictions on individual freedom. “This trend of restricting all civil liberties in the name of fighting terrorism is highly dangerous and should alarm civil society!” emphasise Jauernik and Haböck.
