The trial of former chancellor and former ÖVP chairman Sebastian Kurz, who is accused of giving false testimony in the Ibiza-U committee, will start next Wednesday at the Vienna Regional Court. There is enormous interest in the proceedings against the 37-year-old former chancellor.
The hearing in the Grand Jury Courtroom has already been “reserved” for the final seat.
So far, three dates have been scheduled for the trial of a total of three defendants, until October 23. In addition to Kurz, former deputy party leader of the ÖVP Bettina Glatz-Kremsner and Kurz’s confidante and ex-cabinet head at the Federal Chancellery, Bernhard Bonelli, are on trial. They are also accused of making false statements.
Kurz had already demanded acquittal in a written counterstatement. His co-defendants are also expected to plead not guilty.
18 witnesses
The former chancellor may not speak in detail until the second day of the trial if the opening statements of the Economic and Corruption Public Prosecution Service (WKSA) and the three lawyers take longer. No witnesses have been called yet; further hearings will likely be needed to question them from November onwards. In its written complaint of more than 100 pages, the WKStA requested that no fewer than 18 witnesses be interviewed as part of the main hearing.
The WKStA’s witness list includes former ÖVP finance ministers Hartwig Löger and Gernot Blümel, as well as ex-vice chancellor and FPÖ leader Heinz-Christian Strache. 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, the defense could request that other persons be subpoenaed who, should the judge deem their interrogation necessary, should also be interrogated truthfully.
What is it about?
Kurz and Bonelli are accused by the WKStA of having provided false testimony as informants for the U-Commission, in particular in connection with the establishment of ÖBAG and the composition of the management and supervisory board of this company. Glatz-Kremsner is said to have knowingly told untruths, both before the U-Committee and during her interrogation as a witness in the WKStA investigation into the appointment of a board member of Casinos Austria AG.
The suspects are presumed innocent. “The allegations are false and we look forward to the truth finally coming out and the allegations being proven unfounded in court,” X (formerly Twitter) posted shortly after the allegations were announced.
Due to a lack of space, the quota for media professionals had to be limited. In recent weeks, 83 media professionals from home and abroad have registered for the program. Another 38 seats are available for the interested public; these people will have to sit in the stands.
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.
