The “interministerial task force” created by Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) has so far tracked down 254 million euros from suspected Russian oligarchs parked in a total of 97 accounts in Austria – the chancellery announced Sunday afternoon. It may have been just the tip of the iceberg, but it was said that only half had been found in Germany. Chancellor and Minister of the Interior congratulated the researchers.
In addition to the accounts, five cadastral entries were also found, which were probably intended to hide assets. Other suspected cases are currently under investigation, with investigators highlighting that finding sanctioned assets is made significantly more difficult by international corporate structures, trust companies and front men.
Among other things, the federal government is pinning its hopes on a new suspicious account reporting system to be introduced in May.
“Meet oligarchs where it hurts them”
“With these measures, we hit the oligarchs exactly where it hurts them: with their money. Austria will do everything it can to enforce sanctions against warmongers and Putin supporters without ifs and buts,” the chancellor said, belligerently as usual. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) thanked the “researchers who master this new and important task”.
In addition to the Bureau for the Protection of the Constitution, the National Bank and the Financial Markets Authority, the task force also includes various ministries.
Funds must be frozen
Since February, the EU had already agreed on five sanctions packages against Russian assets – about a trillion euros in the West. Accounts and assets are frozen or confiscated. Observers have repeatedly emphasized that the Russian president is increasingly pressured by wealthy Russians – an expert recently assured Putin could only stay in power for months.
Source: Krone
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