The U-Committee established by Minister of Justice Alma Zadic (Greens), which must investigate whether the People’s Party tried to influence judicial investigations, is now complete. As announced, there will also be a hotline where whistleblowers can contact us anonymously.
In addition to corruption expert Martin Kreutner, who was introduced as head of the U-Commission at the beginning of December, six other experts are also represented. The committee, which is independent of instructions, is supplemented by the former President of the Bavarian Constitutional Court, Peter Küspert, Professor of Criminal Law Robert Kert (Vienna University of Economics and Business), the former Vice President of OGH Matthias Neumayr, the President of the Feldkirch Regional Court, Angelika Prechtl-Marte, and Ruth, the head of department responsible for compliance at the Ministry of Justice Straganz-Schröfl and Chief Public Prosecutor Michaela Breier of the Linz Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Tape recording opportunity for U-Committee
The reason for setting up the committee was the publication of an audio recording in which the late section head Christian Pilnacek, once the most powerful man in the Ministry of Justice, said at the end of July during an evening meeting with acquaintances in a café that the ÖVP had demanded that he investigations would stop and that searches would reverse what he had always resisted. He mentioned, among others, Wolfgang Sobotka, chairman of the National Council, by name.
By studying files and conducting interviews, the committee must now clarify whether there was any influence on the Public Prosecution Service’s process from January 1, 2010 to December 2023. The starting point was roughly Pilnacek’s appointment as head of department. (autumn 2010).
The final report should be available by mid-June
It is also being investigated whether political parties – such as the People’s Party – have intervened in the administration of justice. The committee’s work is expected to be completed by May 31, 2024, and the final report will be presented on June 15 and then published.
Only the University Committee may have access to the information provided to the reporting point. The whistleblowers must then receive information about the further course of action via a secure mailbox. The access data must be anonymous and visible to no one; the use of pseudonyms is also possible. The reporting point can be reached via a link on the homepage of the Ministry of Justice.
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.
