WKO president Harald Mahrer awarded his secretary general Karlheinz Kopf (ÖVP) a special pension. In 2021, the deposit of 252,211 euros was refunded. The opposition is now demanding full clarification of the case, which lawyer Manfred Arbacher-Stöger called a “very interesting case” or “a gross misconduct” in a conversation with Katia Wagner on krone.tv (see video above).
The Chamber of Commerce is in trouble again. This time not because of dubious advertising deals, but because of a luxurious pension for Secretary General Karlheinz Kopf (ÖVP). As the “Krone” reported, a special pension scheme was agreed in 2018, although none have been in the Chamber since 2012. No less than EUR 252,211 was paid to the pension fund via a special contract for Kopf.
Chamber of Commerce denies allegations
The head of the Chamber of Commerce is accused of this in a statement of facts. The Chamber of Commerce denies the allegations. In addition, the deal was reversed in 2021 after the constitutional service of the Federal Chancellery expressed doubts about the deal, according to the Chamber of Commerce’s defense line.
It is clear to the opposition that the facts must be on the table. NEOS spokesperson Gerald Loacker: “Mahrer and Kopf must immediately disclose all contracts. The entrepreneurs are tired of the costly “mistakes” that the ÖVP and its front organizations are constantly forced to admit when caught.”
For the blues, the cause “stinks” quite a bit
For the FPÖ, the approach “stinks” quite a bit, despite assurances to the contrary from the head of the Chamber of Commerce. “If the maneuver was not illegal, the question arises why almost a quarter of a million euros have been reimbursed in 2021,” said Michael Schnedlitz, secretary general of the FPÖ.
According to the law, the company may pay a maximum of 10 percent of the gross annual salary to the pension fund for a pension scheme. In Kopf’s case, however, the Chamber of Commerce paid 90 percent of his gross annual salary. The question arises: was that just a mistake or was it an intentional treat for the brain?
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
