There is a change of Secretary General in the Federal Chancellery. Bernd Brünner will resign from his position on October 31, as well as that of Head of Section I of the Federal Chancellery for personal reasons, the Chancellery confirmed on Thursday in a corresponding media report. Brünner was a companion of ex-chancellor Sebastian Kurz during his ascent to the top of politics.
Unlike other departments, Brünner’s position in the chancellery will be filled – the previous deputy head of the section Andreas Grad will become the new secretary general from November 1. Bernd Brünner has been head of department and secretary-general since early 2020. Even before that, he was a close companion of Kurz – he also worked for him in the Foreign Office and later for a while as his chief of staff in the Federal Chancellery.
He will take on other duties in the Federal Chancellery in the future, as the “Presse” first reported and the Federal Chancellery confirmed. The Directorate of Section I (Presidium) of the BKA will be re-advertised as planned. Grad implements the agendas associated with the section management until the new appointment.
“I would like to thank Bernd Brünner for his commitment and his successful work in the service of the republic and am pleased that he is still available to the Federal Chancellery as an established power,” said Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) according to the written statement. “I wish the new Secretary-General Andreas Grad all the best for his extensive task in the Federal Chancellery”.
Chief of staff has already been replaced
The change in the General Secretariat marks the second major change of staff in the Chancellery within a month: On October 18, Andreas Achatz took over as Chief of Staff from Markus Gstöttner, who is considered a close confidant of ex-Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (VP). According to the information, Gstöttner left politics in the direction of the private sector at his own request.
The post of general secretary introduced under Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) and Heinz-Christian Strache (FPÖ) has recently been abolished in a number of ministries. After the Justice, Home Affairs and Finance departments, the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs will also say goodbye at the end of October, as was only announced last Tuesday.
Source: Krone
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