The Federal Chancellor of Austria Sebastian Kurtz was accused of corruption and dacha false testimony. It is reported by Süddeutsche Zeitung.
It is noted that the Prosecutor’s Office for Economics and Corruption (WKSTA) included Kurtic and Head of the Austrian Cabinet of Ministers Bernhard Bonelli to the list of suspected corruption activities in connection with the alleged false statements in the Parliamentary Commission. The statements were made with respect to the “Eid of Ibiza”, which provoked a government crisis in 2019.
The investigation also accused politicians in involvement in the appointment of the head of the Austrian State Holding Company of Öbag Thomas Schmid. As evidence, the prosecutor’s office used various corporate documents, as well as Schmid and Kurtki correspondence.
Chancellor announced his innocence and said that even in case of a criminal case, he does not plan to retire. He stressed that only recently learned about his status of the suspect and long tried to clarify the facts in the investigation. Kurtz added that the accusations are aimed at creating publication.
Ibiza’s case (Ibiza-Affäre) is a major political scandal in Austria, which unfolded in May 2019 after publishing a video with the participation of the ex-vice-chancellor of the country Heinz-Christian Strakh. On video politician, allegedly agreed on the methods of intervention in the election of 2017 and discussed the restriction of media freedom. In the course of further proceedings, the stroke resigned. It was followed by the entire government in Engray with Sebastian Kursse, who then took the post of Chancellor on the results of early elections to parliament.