From October 18, ex-chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) will have to appear in court for false testimony in the Ibiza U committee. Obviously it will not be the “short process” initially expected; Due to the large number of witnesses, the trial will take much longer than initially expected. It should last at least until November.
As Christina Salzborn, spokeswoman for the Vienna Regional Criminal Court, announced on Tuesday, the three dates set so far are solely for the presentation of the prosecution, the defense’s answers and the interrogations of the suspects. The Public Prosecution Service for Economic and Corruption (WKStA) has requested no fewer than 18 witnesses in its written criminal complaint. The defense could request that more people be called.
Due to a short process
This means that it is certain that after October 23 – the last officially confirmed trial date for the time being – there will be a few more days of trial. It is currently unclear how many and when the witness hearings will start. According to spokeswoman Salzborn, the judge will first await the results of the interrogations with the suspect and then decide how many of the witnesses nominated by the WKStA are actually needed.
Illustrious group of witnesses
The WKStA’s list includes former ÖVP Finance Ministers Hartwig Löger and Gernot Blümel, as well as ex-Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache (FPÖ). Also questioned are Thomas Schmid, whose appointment as ÖBAG boss is the central issue of the case, Peter Sidlo, whose appointment to the board of Casinos Austria was highly controversial, as well as industrialist Siegfried Wolf and ex-Raiffeisen attorney general Walter Rothensteiner. . The latter was also chairman of the casino’s supervisory board.
In addition to Kurz, former ÖVP deputy party leader Bettina Glatz-Kremsner and former chancellery chief of staff Bernhard Bonelli are accused. Kurz and Bonelli are accused of giving false testimony as informants for the U-Commission, in particular in connection with the creation of the state holding company ÖBAG. Glatz-Kremsner is said to have knowingly told untruths, both before the U-Commission and as a witness in the WKStA investigation into the casino case.
In short: “accusations will prove unfounded”
All three suspects deny the charges. “The allegations are false and we look forward to the truth finally coming out and the allegations being proven unfounded in court,” he posted on Twitter (X) shortly after the charges were announced.
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.
