Thomas Schmid’s lawyer, Roland Kier, is silent about his client’s statements, which heavily burden both these and prominent ÖVP representatives and entrepreneurs in several cases. It was not in his client’s best interest to talk to the media, he said on Wednesday. The lawyer confirmed Schmid’s leniency application. Whether an application can be submitted is at the discretion of the Public Prosecution Service for Economic Affairs and Corruption (WKStA).
The former boss of ÖBAG and Secretary General of the Ministry of Finance, Schmid, has applied for leniency in the CASAG proceedings initiated in response to the Ibiza video. Schmid had already approached the Public Prosecution Service with this request in April, the responsible WKStA announced on Tuesday. However, no formal leniency application has been submitted. First, Schmid’s statements – 15 full-day interrogations have taken place so far – must be evaluated.
Speculations about changing lawyer
Schmid’s former attorney Thomas Kralik had denied rumors in August that his client would work with the WKStA. On Tuesday, Kralik said he no longer represented Schmid. Officially, the change should have happened in the past few days. However, Schmid’s new legal representative, lawyer Roland Kier, is mentioned as being present in the minutes of an interrogation of the suspect in Graz on June 21 this year.
The fact that Schmid apparently employed two lawyers is now cause for speculation. Kralik, who originally took on the legal representation, would not have known anything about the double track. According to reports, the lawyer and his client could have had different views about the desired leniency status. Both lawyers declined to comment on the change.
Source: Krone
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