Probation
Austria’s ex-Chancellor Kurz convicted of making false statements
Sebastian Kurz has to answer in court for making false statements
© Alex Halada / Imago Images
Sebastian Kurz is on trial for making false statements. Now the verdict has been passed: eight months probation.
Austria’s former chancellor Sebastian Kurz was sentenced to a suspended sentence of eight months for making false statements. In its ruling on Friday, the Vienna Regional Court considered it proven that Kurz had exercised greater influence in the appointment of the supervisory board of the state holding company Öbag than he had admitted to the Ibiza investigative committee.
The public prosecutor’s office had demanded a suspended sentence and a fine. “Rarely has a case of false testimony been presented so clearly,” said senior public prosecutor Gregor Adamovic on Friday in his plea before the Vienna regional court. In contrast to his statements before the Ibiza committee of inquiry, the former head of government had an active influence on the appointment of his confidant Thomas Schmid to the top position at the state holding company Öbag. During his time in government, Kurz generally secured the right to veto and intervene in personnel decisions, the prosecution continued.
Sebastian Kurz denied allegations
The fact that Kurz described his role as informed but not involved before the parliamentary committee in June 2020 was due to concerns about bad press, the senior public prosecutor continued. The now 37-year-old responded this way for PR-tactical reasons, “to avoid unwanted political and media criticism for obvious job haggling,” said Adamovic. A false statement is not a trivial offense, especially when a Federal Chancellor testifies before a parliamentary committee. Kurz did not live up to the role model function of politicians, said public prosecutor Roland Koch.
Kurz, who was extremely popular at the time and denied the allegations, had promised the citizens a “new style” and thus signaled a farewell to widespread nepotism.