tape fall? – Schmid now presents the short conversation as fictitious

In the conversation, Kurz — the “Krone” reported — asked Schmid several times how they found out he was involved in the investigative affair. Schmid then roughly explained to him the collaboration with pollster Sabine Beinschab.

‘Consciously only call via Signal or WhatsApp’
Just two days after Kurz presented the recording, Schmid was questioned by the WKStA. Schmid stated that at the time of the phone call, he assumed the authorities were tapping the phone. “Although we deliberately only called and chatted via Signal or WhatsApp, no one knew whether this could also be monitored,” said Schmid, according to the report of the prosecutor, which was leaked Friday.

“Defense Speech” by Kurz. accepted
Schmid also told the WKStA that in the first few minutes of the call, he had the impression that Kurz could record the conversation. He assumed it was a “defense speech” by Kurz for the prosecutor who might be watching or for his own recording.

“Trying to belittle things”
He then tried to dodge, to downplay things, Schmid said. The prosecutors then wanted to know from Schmid why he had not made it clear that Kurz was involved. Schmid justified his evasive responses with the “extreme pressure situation” and the suspected surveillance. “So such a response would not have been considered at the time because it would contradict the common line of defense,” Schmid says.

Kurz would have dictated text
Schmid also emphasized once again to the WKStA that Kurz called him immediately after the searches – also at the ÖVP – in early October. At the time, Kurz told him that he, Schmid, should take the blame — and also dictated to him an accompanying text. He then told Kurz to think about it. However, his lawyer strongly advised him not to do this. Kurz then tried to call him multiple times through Signal. But he didn’t call back, Schmid claims.

Short speaker: Schmid tries „pull head out of the noose“
A spokesman for Kurz saw Schmid’s statements Friday as further evidence that his claims were fabricated and would collapse. It has since been proven that Schmid concealed the telephone conversation with Kurz from the WKStA in his key witness statement. Its content brings Schmid “tremendous distress” and contradicts “his claims to the WKStA diametrically”. “The attempt to pull his head out of this noose will fail,” the Kurz spokesperson said.

WKStA: No proof of salary increase for Kurz-Freundin
On another allegation by Schmid, according to which Kurz’s partner as an employee at the Treasury Department received an unjustified salary increase and bonus payments, there are now also investigation results from the WKStA. In a memorandum, the researchers noted that all employees received the same bonus payments. The WKStA could not deduce a salary increase from the data. Kurz had vehemently denied a raise from the start.