Investigations are made on suspicion of breach of trust, corruption and bribery, sometimes in different forms of participation. In the course of this investigation, several house searches took place today, including in two ministries.
As part of these investigations, the WKStA is investigating the further suspicions arising in particular from the results of investigations in the procedure for the appointment of the board of directors at Casinos Austria AG, “that between 2016 and at least 2018, budgetary funds from the Ministry of Finance to finance exclusively party-politically motivated, sometimes manipulated surveys of a Polling companies were used in the interests of a political party and its top function (s) “, it says in the communication. According to the order for the house search, two of the three associations not named in the broadcast are the VP and the media group “Austria”.
“These survey results were published (without being declared as an advertisement) in the editorial section of an Austrian daily newspaper and other media belonging to this group The payments for these cooperations were – according to the suspicion – essentially concealed consideration for the actually granted to the accused the possibility of influencing the editorial reporting in this media company “, declared the WKStA.
Video: Government defends tax reform and comments on house searches
The house searches had been in the air for days – fueled by the media by the TP himself. On Wednesday the time had come. Affected by the raids in the Chancellery were the Chancellor’s spokesman, Johannes Frischmann, the media officer at Ballhausplatz Gerald Fleischmann and consultant Stefan Steiner. According to reports, their private apartments were also “visited”. The VP federal party headquarters was also affected. Finance Minister Gernot Blmel (VP) confirmed that a search had also taken place in his department.
Blmel is not involved in the matter itself, however. The incriminated acts were already a few years ago, most of them before Kurz took over the VP and took over the Chancellery. The allegations revolve around infidelity, corruption and bribery. It is determined against Kurz himself, the addressees of today’s house searches, against the media group “Austria” as well as Helmuth and Wolfgang Fellner, the former Secretary General in the Ministry of Finance and later BAG boss Thomas Schmid, an employee of the finance department and against two pollsters, including ex-family minister Sophie Karmasin (VP).
In summary, the accusations of the WKStA refer to compliance reporting by the “Austria” group in exchange for advertisements by the finance department and to surveys financed by tax money, which would only have served Kurz’s advancement. The Fellner group spoke of “serious misunderstandings” on the part of the public prosecutor’s office. At no point in time had there been an agreement with the Ministry of Finance to pay for surveys through advertisements.
Analysis: House searches at the VP
Wginger angry
The VP also reacted angrily. The house search took place in front of the Council of Ministers, which the Chancellor did not attend because of his trip to Slovenia to the Western Balkans summit. Club boss August Wginger (VP) was then sent to a short media statement without question. There are always the same constructed accusations that have the sole aim of harming the People’s Party and Chancellor Kurz. The VP will oppose this politically and legally, said the parliamentary group leader, without going into details.
The coalition partner did not like the new attacks by the VP, which had spoken of show effects, among other things. Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler (Green) turned against blanket attacks against the judiciary after the Council of Ministers. His party will help to ensure that independent investigations can be carried out, if one stuck to the well-known standing sentence. The Green boss saw no impact on government cooperation. The standard is the government’s ability to act, and he considers it “fully given”.
Short resignation for kickl “overdue”
The opposition reacted less graciously. For FP chairman Herbert Kickl, the resignation of the chancellor is “overdue”. “The turquoise house of cards is collapsing”, believes SP Federal Managing Director Christian Deutsch, and NEOS General Secretary Douglas Hoyos demanded that the VP immediately put an end to its “unworthy damage to the rule of law and contribute to the investigation.”
