After severe criticism of the evaluation – apparently the number of positive results was too low – the consortium is now also suspected of undeclared work. In a raid on a laboratory in the state of Salzburg about two weeks ago, employees who were incorrectly registered or who were not registered at all are said to have been found.
With reference to “investigative circles”, the “Salzburger Nachrichten” report in the Wednesday edition that during the inspection by the police and financial police in the hall rented by the ARGE in the industrial area of Siezenheim (municipality of Wals-Siezenheim), both incorrectly registered and non-registered employees had been caught. The check was carried out after instructions to the police. Investigations are being carried out on suspicion of undeclared work, wage dumping and social benefit fraud. The police have confirmed the operation in Siezenheim.
Franz Öller, managing director of the Tauernklinikum involved in the consortium, also confirmed controls. It was probably a routine check, and to his knowledge there were no complaints. “If there had been difficulties, I would know,” he is quoted as saying.
The ARGE started the school tests for all federal states except Vienna after the Christmas holidays. Already in the first week there were complaints. According to the Ministry of Education, the performance requirements were not met. The ministry had reported “an incomprehensibly low number of positive cases” and the schools had received data “late, incorrect and incomplete”. Apparently this problem is still ongoing. Because according to the Salzburg Education Minister Daniela Gutschi (ÖVP), only 216 of 41,000 students and 4,900 school staff were positive this Monday. The rapid tests carried out at the same time, however, discovered more than 700 cases.
The Ministry has already announced a quality check and the examination of legal steps against the bidding consortium.
In addition, the Salzburg finance officer announced LHStv. Christian Stöckl (ÖVP) a new audit of Tauernkliniken GmbH by the State Audit Office (LRH). Just two months ago, a harshly criticized LRH audit report on the “Holding Gesundheit Innergebirg” (with 13 subsidiaries, including Tauernkliniken GmbH) was published. Among other things, cross-financing between public non-profit and private company subsidiaries and the multi-functions of the managing director were objected to, which meant that “control and protection mechanisms at the level of the subsidiaries were overridden”.
The reasons for the renewed examination are the current developments and “the concern about massive economic consequences and risks, in particular liabilities, through the private-sector activities of the holding companies”, Stöckl justified in a press release. Consequential effects and risks for the municipality of Zell am See as the sole shareholder of the holding and its 100 percent subsidiary Tauernkliniken are also to be examined.
The Mayor of Zell, Andreas Wimmreuter (SPÖ), also Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Tauernkliniken, emphasized to the ORF Salzburg that the award of the contract had been discussed and decided by the Supervisory Board. “But it was very important to us that the contract was drawn up in such a way that no liability risk for the Tauernkliniken and subsequently no liability risk for the municipality of Zell am See resulted from this contract. That was very important to us from the start.”
Because of the problems with the tests, a law firm was commissioned to provide an expert opinion. According to Wimmreuter, this comes to the conclusion that there is no liability risk for the healthcare facilities. The legal examination will show more details.
Source: Nachrichten
