The investigations in the ÖVP’s corruption investigation committee have been running for nine months. It is now clear that this will be extended. The committee is characterized by debates about the regulations and alleged gaps in memory. This is not a problem for Kai Jan Krainer, chairman of the SPÖ group. “90 percent of the new findings come from the files,” he says in a live conversation with moderator Conny Winiwarter. If the information provider does not want to clarify, “that does not change the facts”. That Karl Nehammer does not want to clean up the Kurz system is easy to explain: “Then he would have to clean up himself.” And: If it is up to Krainer, nothing stands an extension of Schengen with Romania and Bulgaria: Hungary.”
“Romania and Bulgaria play no role in the asylum problem,” Krainer clarifies. The problems must be solved where they are: the hole in the system “that’s called Hungary”. Asylum procedures close to the border and spread across Europe “and not just in three countries” is the almost uniform tenor in politics. Instead of using the rare unit to trade, people just pass the hot potato to each other. Both Austria and Hungary would lead the Schengen debate too selfishly, Krainer summarized.
“I have never experienced how the ÖVP behaves”
The U-committee is not about clarifying criminal law issues. For Krainer, it’s about “throwing a spotlight behind the scenes of politics and showing how politics works.” Everyone sees that politics is not working optimally at the moment – “except for the ÖVP”. Is he satisfied with the questioning of the ÖVP greats Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) and Johanna Mikl-Leitner (ÖVP)? “It doesn’t matter at all. The person providing the information should be satisfied,” Krainer replies.
Yet Krainer has never experienced how the ÖVP works: ‘destroying’ a poll with debates about the regulations. A total of 40 times, the red group chairman was interrupted by debates about the rules of procedure when questioning the governor of the state of Mikl-Leitner. “If a non-ÖVPer is in the chair, jamming doesn’t work very well,” smiles Krainer, criticizing Sobotka, who is “very biased” in his chair. “Sobotka is in a category of its own,” says Krainer, explaining his opinion in the interview.
“If Nehammer cleans up with Kurz, he has to clean up after himself”
The politician was disappointed by Karl Nehammer: he had to take responsibility, clean up and “clean up” within the staff. “Almost all of the suspects are still there and are still up to the task of causing mischief,” says Krainer. But according to the Social Democrat, the Chancellor’s hands are tied: “Nehammer cannot break with the Kurz system because he is part of the system. If he cleaned up, he would have to clean up himself.
Bad answers “don’t change the facts”
Studying the files contributes the most to knowledge gathering in the investigative committee – there are tens of thousands of them in all. “You learn 90 percent of what you learn from the files,” said the SPÖ party leader. The respondent is presented with these facts and given the opportunity to “cooperate”. If she doesn’t, that’s okay too, because “it doesn’t change the facts”.
Rendi Wagner or Doskozil? “Rendi Wagner”
Regarding the current allegations of corruption in the EU, Krainer says: “It is good that the Belgian police are acting so harshly here.” Of course, one question burned on the journalist’s tongue: who does Krainer see at the top of the SPÖ? “Well, Pamela Rendi-Wagner!”
You can see the entire interview with Kai Jan Krainer in the video above. KroneLIVE can be seen from Monday to Friday from 9 a.m.
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I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
