It all started promisingly. Crown witness candidate Thomas Schmid began with an apology for his failure to appear before the U-Committee. “Since I decided to get clean, I had to keep the statements of the WKStA secret.” But that was it with the friendliness.
Schmid invokes a decision of the administrative court of 18 October. This legal statement gives him the right to refuse to answer the questions as an information provider, even if he has already confessed to a criminal prosecution. Schmid came to the U-Committee to say he won’t say anything.
The surprise turns in the U-Commission. Judge Wolfgang Pöschl, who forgot to turn off the microphone, takes a deep, desperate breath. start consultations.
Then the second attempt. U-committee chairman Doris Bures (SPÖ) explains to Schmid that the questions are asked and that for each question he must explain why he wants to refuse. In principle, the following applies: If the information provider does not burden himself by answering the question, the witness must provide an answer.
The first question from the preliminary relief judge is: “How did the name ‘leg scraper tool’ come about? What do you mean by the term?”
Schmid refuses to answer. It’s 10:10 am. Schmid is already threatened with a fine of up to 5,000 euros if he cannot credibly explain why he does not want to answer this question.
Schmid doesn’t care. He continues to refuse. “Your refusal is not justified. You have a duty to testify,” Bures said. In addition, U-Commission Chair “Handyman” Schmid points out that even the Justice Department has released seven topics for the investigation. In these seven cases, the investigations are not jeopardized.
Schmid remains silent. The U-committee will not go any further.
Questions getting more and more bizarre
SPÖ party chairman Jan Krainer asks Schmid an innocent question with which he cannot incriminate himself: “Do you know the signature on page 22 of the interrogation protocol? (It is Schmid’s signature, note)” Schmid replied: “I refuse to testify.”
This completely undifferentiated refusal to testify brought Schmid several requests for refusal to obey. If the application is submitted several times, the fine can be up to 10,000 euros.
Schmid doesn’t just rock the republic with his chats. He also pushes the U-Committee to its limits.
Source: Krone
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