Thomas Schmid testifies before the ÖVP subcommittee on Thursday. Meanwhile, the Turks are looking for evidence of Schmid’s lack of credibility.
Crown witness Thomas Schmid will appear before the committee on Thursday. Tension and nervousness are rampant. Especially in the ÖVP, for which Schmid’s confession seems diabolical. Finance and banking supervision (also in Germany) and researchers are also interested in large investors such as René Benko.
Browse the treasure chest
The Chancellor’s Party tries to make the potential star witness appear unbelievable. It is currently reported that the Ministry of Finance, where Schmid was secretary-general during the relevant period (2016/17), is being intensively searched. According to “Krone”, they want to offer help to Wolfgang Sobotka, chairman of the National Council of the ÖVP. He successfully intervened for tax audits at institutions close to the ÖVP.
According to the ÖVP, no test was planned, as Schmid claimed. Sobotka, who is under investigation for abuse of office in another case, wants to take legal action against the ex-Buwog boss. Schmid should nevertheless be granted leniency status. This is what (ÖVP) insiders and criminal justice experts assume.
Experts count on Schmid as a key witness
“He was detained for 15 days. You can assume that there is content,” says lawyer Gerald Ruhri from Graz. For him, the step to obtain leniency status is a logical one. “Especially in his situation and with these crimes.”
The Viennese criminal lawyer Arthur Machac also believes in leniency. On krone.tv, he said the revelations were not a “political bomb” but a “tsunami” and had made further disclosures. The assessment will probably ultimately be up to the independent judge.
Source: Krone
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