VIENNA. The nervousness in the ÖVP because of allegedly imminent house searches was justified. On Wednesday, investigators from the Economic and Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (WKStA) in the Federal Chancellery, the Ministry of Finance and the VP Federal Headquarters in Lichtenfelsgasse started raids at the same time.
The judicially approved coercive measures are based on the suspicion that Sebastian Kurz and his entourage were involved in corruption in connection with advertisements for Wolfgang’s media group “Austria” from mid-2016, long before he was promoted to VP chairman, and then as Federal Chancellor and Helmuth Fellner was involved. It is about the allegation of infidelity, bribery and corruption. Briefly stayed yesterday at the EU Western Balkans Summit in Slovenia, where he spoke of “fabricated allegations”.
Schmid’s cell phone
The core source for the search warrant, which was more than a hundred pages long (for details see page 3), was once again Thomas Schmid’s cell phone. This time it was about the time of the brief confidante as Secretary General in the Ministry of Finance (2015-2019).
As already outlined in the strategy paper “Project Ballhausplatz”, the way to the party leadership and later to the Chancellery was to be prepared shortly apart from the structures of the ÖVP, which was still led by Reinhold Mitterlehner.
The WKStA accuses Kurz of having asked Schmid and another cabinet employee to have commissioned surveys disguised as studies on behalf of the finance department. It was “exclusively about party-politically motivated and for the advancement of Sebastian Kurz, his closest confidante and the VP Federal Party relevant surveys”. Fake bills are also said to have been submitted. Ex-Family Minister Sophie Karmasin (VP) and her professional colleague Sabine Beinschab, who is known to the pollster, are said to have been involved in the implementation.
In a second strand, the judiciary assumes that the two demoscopists and Schmid brought about “advertising and media cooperation agreements” with the Fellner media group in the sense of the short campaign. As with the surveys themselves, editorial content and times for publications are said to have come from today’s Chancellor Advisor Stefan Steiner, his media coordinator Gerald Fleischmann and press spokesman Johannes Frischmann. Overall, for this media cooperation with “Austria” and “OOE24” at least “1,116,000 euros plus 223,000 euros sales tax” should have been paid by the Ministry of Finance, that is, with tax money, according to the public prosecutor’s office. The presumption of innocence applies to all of the above.
Rejections
The Austrian media group rejected the allegation of breach of trust and bribery as a result of “obviously serious misunderstandings”. There was never an agreement to pay for surveys through advertisements.
VP club boss August Wöginger spoke of a “myriad of false claims” that only had the goal of harming the ÖVP and Kurz. This will be countered politically and legally. Upper Austria’s governor Thomas Stelzer (VP) did not want to comment on the matter yesterday. Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler (Greens) turned against blanket attacks on the judiciary.
The three opposition parties requested that a special session of the National Council be convened. This should take place at the beginning of next week. SP leader Pamela Rendi-Wagner called on Kurz to draw the conclusions himself, after all, “there are serious allegations on the table. It is about inciting infidelity and corruption.”
The resignation of the Chancellor is also inevitable for FP chairman Herbert Kickl. If Kurz does not comply with this request, “we will help with a motion of no confidence”. Neos boss Beate Meinl-Reisinger said in the evening that she expected Kurz to “step down today”. She rejected new elections, stating that the National Council was able to act. (luc)
