On Monday, the SPÖ criticized orders from the Lower Austrian state government to former ÖVP minister and pollster Sophie Karmasin and “Karmasin Research & Identity”. According to answers to questions, ÖVP government members have awarded Karmasin and the company contracts and studies for a total of more than €338,000 over the past five years.
These orders “must be fully clarified,” SPÖ MP Rene Pfister demanded in a broadcast. According to the responses to questions, a total of exactly 338,166.40 euros was awarded. The frontrunner was the mobility area of Landesrat Ludwig Schleritzko with five studies for a total amount of 251,028 euros. According to Deputy Jochen Danninger, a study on economy and tourism was requested for 39,790 euros.
Pernkopf: ‘Taxpayers must be sure’
According to Deputy Governor Stephan Pernkopf, 37,830 euros have been paid for research in the field of the environment, nature conservation, energy and energy management. An investigation into the labor market in the department of State Councilor Martin Eichtinger was good for 9,518.40 euros, according to the answers to the questions from Pfister. “Taxpayers should know that they have not paid for studies that are not fit for purpose,” he said.
Pfister expressed his doubts, referring in this regard to a 2020 youth survey on the environment and climate, according to which 97 percent of those surveyed in the sixth, ninth and twelfth grades knew what ketchup is made of, but only 23 percent said that chickens only use a maximum of one lay egg per day. Other surveys included foot and bicycle traffic, Lower Austria as a place of residence, the population’s attitude to wolf return, home office and video conferencing, the tourist attitude of the Lower Austrian population and identification with the land as well as the ” Lower Austria economic stimulus program” 2020.
WKStA investigates fraud and breach of trust
Karmasin is one of the suspects in the investigations by the Economic and Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (WKStA) for alleged advertising corruption in the ÖVP environment. The former family minister is charged with infidelity and bribery, as well as money laundering, violation of anti-competitive agreements and serious fraud.
Ex-Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP), several Kurz confidants, ex-ÖBAG boss Thomas Schmid, Karmasin’s former employee Sabine Beinschab and media makers Wolfgang and Helmuth Fellner are also under investigation.
Source: Krone
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