Politics Austria anxiously awaits the interrogation of former ÖBAG boss Thomas Schmid in ÖVP’s corruption commission. In order not to jeopardize the ongoing investigations, the Public Prosecution Service (WKStA) sent a list of subjects to the groups on Friday. Although all parties want to take this into account, the ÖVP is already against it.
The reason for the pre-selection of the subjects was that the researchers feared that anticipating the parliamentarians would hinder the investigation. The WKStA has therefore requested consultations. According to SPÖ party chairman Jan Krainer, four groups have complied with the request, only the ÖVP is against.
Krainer: ÖVP violates the “Golden Rule”
However, the Public Prosecution Service must rely on the willingness of the parties to cooperate. She cannot insist that certain questions not be asked in the subcommittee. Unanimity is required to reach a joint agreement – including the approval of the ÖVP. Krainer said they would meet again on Monday.
According to Krainer, complying with the wishes of the public prosecutor not to jeopardize investigations is a “golden rule”. “The fact that the ÖVP is causing problems here is actually outrageous.”
Schmid can be summoned multiple times
Krainer has no problem with the prosecutor’s list, also because they reserve the right to sue Schmid again in December. By then, Schmid will have testified before the WKStA in all subject areas and may also be questioned in the U-committee on passages that are still obscured.
ÖVP tries to counter in advance
His group’s decision not to comply with the WKStA’s request was justified by ÖVP faction leader Andreas Hanger in a broadcast on Friday: “Criminal investigations should not be hindered by the U-committee. However, in the Austrian political structure it is still always the parliament that is in charge of implementation – and therefore also the WKStA – and not the other way around.”
Source: Krone
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