The office of an official who is said to be the manager of the agency was affected by the house search, the “Standard” reported. The Ministry confirmed the house search on request. It is about the suspicion of infidelity, also within the framework of the Association Responsibility Act. The AEI was founded in 2003 and, according to its own statements, has since carried out “250 international projects with 38 partners with a funding volume of more than 220 million euros”.
“Of course, the Ministry of Finance is cooperating fully with the investigating authorities and is interested in a quick clarification of the facts,” the department commented on the investigations by the Vienna public prosecutor’s office. An internal review of administrative consequences against the officer had also been initiated. Specifically, the allegation is infidelity, also within the framework of the Association Responsibility Act.
Parliamentary question series
According to the Standard, the AEI was the subject of a series of parliamentary questions tabled by Green MP David Stögmüller. It was about a significant increase in the number of employees in this association, which implemented EU-funded projects on illegal immigration and security abroad with various ministries. The Ministry of Defense is said to have turned on the Court of Auditors, the Ministry of the Interior its internal audit and the Finanzprokuratur.
Many officials with extra income
According to the parliamentary query response, 50 employees of the Ministry of Finance have a part-time job in the AEI, as well as 15 employees of the Ministry of the Interior. There is a suspicion of non-transparent financial management and high fees for employees. The standard has learned that three people and AEI GmbH, which belongs to the association, are being investigated.
Source: Nachrichten
