The controversial gold-plated piano, which President of the National Council Wolfgang Sobotka (ÖVP) had installed in parliament, costs only 3,000 euros per month. Because the lease is about to expire, Sobotka is now considering purchasing the wing. Cost point: about 140,000 euros.
The “permanent purchase of a grand piano will be considered after an initial evaluation,” the head of parliament stated in a question to NEOS. In particular, the gilded instrument that Sobotka had set up in the reception room of the renovated parliament must be acquired – which earned him fierce criticism from the opposition.
“We will find a way to buy the piano,” Sobotka said in an interview with the “Oberösterreichische Nachrichten” on Tuesday. So it would cost about 140,000 euros. There is no “final decision” about the purchase, according to an APA parliamentary spokesperson. “It’s being explored as an option.”
“Austrian business card”
Why exactly that wing decorated with gold and not perhaps one that is cheaper? “Austria is a cultural nation and a Bösendorfer wing in parliament was already envisaged in sketches by the architect Theophil Hansen,” explains the parliament speaker. The piano should represent this collaboration and be a “visiting card of Austria”.
The original from the collaboration between Hansen and Bösendorfer was no longer available, he explained in the answer to the question. “With the special model ‘Secession’, an artistically crafted grand piano has been chosen that is also inextricably linked to Austrian art, culture and craftsmanship,” continues Sobotka.
Rent ends in June
The purchase was not initially considered, “because the benefits of renting outweigh the benefits for now,” the response to the inquiry said. The six-month lease with Bösendorfer expires in June. According to Sobotka, a variant was chosen in which the wing could be bought after a few months or years, taking into account the rent. The list price for the piano is around 200,000 euros.
Source: Krone
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.
