“I ask for your understanding that we will not make any public statements before or during the negotiation,” said Pauer in an interview with the APA. Strache will only speak to the court on the allegations, which also applies to him as a defense attorney, said Pauer.
In addition to Strache, the operator of the Whring private clinic, Walter Grubmller, will sit in the dock for bribery. Strache and the former gaming manager and racing driver had been friends for a long time, and during the turquoise-blue coalition negotiations, the then FP chairman is said to have advertised that Grubmller’s clinic should be included in the so-called private hospital financing fund (Prikraf). That would have made it possible for the clinic to offset services directly with the social security funds. In fact, after the formation of the turquoise-blue government, the Prikraf fund was increased and the private clinic accepted as a beneficiary.
According to the indictment, the corresponding legal text should have come about after Strache asked the clinic director which federal law would be “important” for him, “so that the beauty clinic is finally treated fairly?” In this context – as confirmed by chats, Strache suggested an “exact change in the law so that you can get your permits” at Grubmller.
10,000 euros for a law?
From the point of view of the Economic and Corruption Public Prosecutor’s Office (WKStA), a donation of 10,000 euros from Grubmller to the FP proves that the law has been bought. Both Strache and Grubmller denied this after the allegations became known.
The hearing is initially scheduled for four days, with a number of witnesses that judge Claudia Moravec-Loidolt wants to hear from Wednesday, mainly to the legislative process. On Wednesday, Julian Hadschieff, co-founder and CEO of the PremiQaMed Group, which operates several private clinics, the Vice-President of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce, Matthias Krenn, and an FP accountant are to be heard. The interrogations of the former health and social affairs minister Beate Hartinger-Klein (FP), the FP health spokeswoman Dagmar Belakowitsch, the FP deputy Fritz Simhandl and the former cabinet chiefs of Hartinger-Klein and ex-vice chancellor Strache are planned for Thursday. Whether there will be judgments on Friday – as originally planned – is uncertain and depends on any further requests for evidence.
There is a risk of between six months and five years in prison
If found guilty, the defendants face terms of between six months and five years in prison.
