http://www.tunisiaonlinenews.com/austria-announces-freezing-of-ben-ali%E2%80%99s-assets/

Austria announced, on Saturday, the immediate freezing of all assets of the ousted president Ben Ali, his family and his relatives.

“We support Tunisia in its efforts of peaceful democratisation,” said Austria’s Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger, in a communiqué some excerpts of which were reported by Agence France Presse (AFP). He added: “with this measure, immediately enforced, we want to send a clear signal that Austria is not a safe haven for stolen money, or fortunes illegally acquired by corruption or money laundering.”

The freezing carried out by the Austrian Central Bank as instructed by Austria’s foreign ministry comes after an international request issued by Tunisia so that the illegal assets placed abroad by Ben Ali and members of his family be seized.

This measure is destined to prevent any movement of these assets while waiting for the European Union’s directives. No information has been given on the assets detained by Ben Ali and his family in Austria.