Statements by ex-secretary of state: Kurz rejects all allegations

Status: 10/19/2022 6:17 p.m

The statements by ex-State Secretary Schmid are a burden to several high-ranking ÖVP politicians – including the former Austrian Chancellor Kurz. He and the others involved protest their innocence.

By Silke Hahne, ARD Studio Vienna

It’s Denial Day. After it became known that the former ÖVP State Secretary Thomas Schmid unpacked for weeks at the public prosecutor’s office, the accused reject all allegations, including ex-Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.

Kurz moves to the center of the affair

Political scientist Peter Filzmaier is certain that the ÖVP is now catching up with the scandal that had faded somewhat into the background due to the Russian war against Ukraine and high inflation.

“However the legal outcome of the matter is, politically there is another big problem in the ÖVP. Politically, these are the highest-ranking ÖVP politicians.” It’s no longer just about people from Kurz’s environment who may have acted illegally, “it’s really about his personal behavior.”

Kurz wrote on his Facebook page that the allegations were absurd. He looks forward to proving in court that the allegations are false. Kurz’s lawyer said in the afternoon that he had given the public prosecutor a tape recording that refutes Schmid’s statements. According to the lawyer, the recording represents a “bomb” for the current status of the investigation. But he didn’t say any more.

Schmid charged ex-chancellor in “advertising affair”

Specifically, Schmid had charged his ÖVP party friend Kurz, among other things, in the so-called advertisement affair. A daily newspaper had published fake polls in favor of Kurz, in return for which the ÖVP-led Ministry of Finance had placed advertisements. Kurz is said to have commissioned the surveys and been in the picture, the ORF quotes from Schmid’s statements: “It is very important for me to emphasize that I only implemented this tool because I received the order from Kurz.”

The public prosecutor’s office is of the opinion that Kurz’s 2017 surveys should pave the way to the ÖVP party leadership and the chancellor’s office. She had previously investigated the matter against Kurz and Schmid. So now the statements by Schmid – who also incriminated himself. He is aiming for the status of a key witness.

The President of the National Council is also charged

Another ÖVP politician who is now getting into trouble with the statements is the President of the National Council, Wolfgang Sobotka. He is said to have prevented the tax audit of an association that had received payments from the gaming group Novomatic. The association was called the Alois Mock Institute until it was dissolved. Schmid said in his testimony before the public prosecutor’s office:

“Sobotka intervened with me. To the extent that he informed me that there were tax audits regarding the Alois Mock Institute and the Erwin Proell Foundation and that this could not be – it had to be done. I have this information in the Ministry of Finance either passed it on to cabinet employees or to section heads. It was then done in the spirit of Sobotka.”

Sobotka also rejects Schmid’s depictions. He had his party colleague Andreas Hanger tell journalists in Vienna: “He vehemently rejects these allegations and there is nothing more to say about them. Apparently a slap is happening, as has been done very often, and therefore there is absolutely no reason, any consequences to think about.”

“Patzen” can roughly be translated as “slander”, “slander”. A word that came up several times today in the wake of Schmid’s statements.

Greens are still holding back with criticism

The Greens, currently government partners of the ÖVP, initially shot at Kurz today – i.e. the accused who is no longer in office. For example, MP Nina Tomaselli: “The allegations that were made a year ago, especially against Kurz, against Schmid, against Blümel, who are all no longer there, are really condensed into very hard evidence, in our opinion,” she said. So far, Schmid’s statement has not contained any allegations against the current Federal Chancellery and Chancellor Nehammer. “But the one who is really under a lot of pressure is Sebastian Kurz.”

The Greens see themselves as confirmed in having urged Kurz to resign a year ago. The current coalition with the ÖVP is also burdened, the party said, but so far they have not put an end to the government in the room.

All other parties, however, demanded consequences. For example, the liberal NEOS accused the Chancellor of not having cleaned up the ÖVP.

Further searches because of Schmid’s statements

However, the clarification may take time. The public prosecutor’s office has brought all strands of investigation together in one procedure, and there are 45 suspects. Schmid’s statements could add more. According to the public prosecutor’s office, two companies were searched on Tuesday on suspicion of bribery, corruption and abuse of office on the basis of Schmid’s statements.

Update Ibiza affair: Kurz rejects allegations

Silke Hahne, ARD Vienna, October 19, 2022 4:23 p.m

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