Due to budget constraints in the absence of a finalized federal budget for this year, Austria’s Interior Ministry now appears to be cutting costs for police orchestras. According to a directive recently sent to regional police directorates (LPDs) and seen by APA, the nine orchestras across Austria will face restrictions, including a ban on foreign performances and a reduction in base rehearsal and performance hours.
The directive calls for a 20% reduction in the allotted hours for performances and rehearsals. Furthermore, the ensembles are prohibited from performing abroad unless a special request is submitted and approved. These measures, which took effect in March and remain valid “until revoked,” may jeopardize the planned appearance of the Styrian police orchestra at a festival in November.
Exceptions for Funerals
The directive also rules out any “planned engagements of the police music” between Friday 8:00 PM and Monday 6:00 AM or on public holidays, if they entail overtime pay. Only if time off (Zeitausgleich) is arranged can additional hours be authorized from Monday to Saturday. Other scheduled engagements requiring overtime are canceled, barring funeral services, which are considered part of the organizational culture. The ministry also wants tighter budget reviews for any new purchases.
2026 Festival Canceled
Austrian police music festivals, which were held every two years, must now be postponed – the originally planned 2026 festival is canceled, and the event will only occur every four years. House concerts by the nine orchestras may also be under threat.
In Salzburg, there was initially an announcement halting the orchestra’s activities “until further notice,” according to an email from the public relations office dated February 21. Sources indicate the Interior Ministry intervened to stop the full suspension. Salzburg police spokesperson Hans Wolfgruber emphasized that the police orchestra remains “a valuable asset” and that a full shutdown “was never on the table.”
Outrage Over the Directive
A member of one of the music corps said the mood among the 450 musicians nationwide is at “rock bottom,” as they feel “reduced to funerals.” The cost savings, they argue, is insignificant compared to overall administration costs. Foreign concert trips are often paid for by the organizer, and domestic concerts typically occur on weekdays, not Sundays or holidays.
Most police orchestra members are regular on-duty officers, except in Vienna where there are professional musicians.
Interior Ministry Calls It “Temporary Measures”
The Interior Ministry described the moves as a “temporary precaution.” Without a 2025 budget having been presented in 2024, all ministries face “restrictive austerity measures,” the ministry told APA. The ministry did not disclose the expected total cost savings. As previously reported, the Vienna regional police directorate also cut back on overtime, but the ministry provided no detailed explanation of the impact.
