Alleged misuse of aid funds for seniors’ associations ÖVP in Upper Austria and Tyrol: Those affected fight back, opposition asks for clarification. The cause is spreading.
For Ingrid Korosec, head of retirees at the ÖVP, one thing is certain before the investigations: there will be no refunds. A repayment of two million euros is still obvious in the poorly ventilated area. For alleged misuse of funding. And there are legal ramifications.
Vice Chancellor Kogler’s Department Has Cause Checked
Two million euros for the Upper Austrian seniors’ association in corona times. The money also flowed into Tyrol and Vorarlberg. Although not to this extent – 180,000 or 24,000 euros. Intended as a crisis fund for non-profit organizations, paid from the fund. Not for parties or sub-organizations as the Seniors Association should be. And also not for personnel costs. The suspicion exists at the request of NEOS. Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler’s (Greens) department, where the fund is located, is currently under investigation.
The OÖ-Pensionistenbund denies the allegations, they speak of a quasi double existence. On the one hand a party, on the other a non-profit organization. Everything super clean? Many don’t see it that way.
A clear case of abuse for SPÖ
“The ÖVP must come up with something different,” SPÖ national manager Christian Deutsch told the “Krone”. He refers to a 2018 ruling by the Independent Party Transparency Senate. “For Lower Austria, it was determined that no distinction should be made between the sub-organization and the Senior Citizens’ Association.” In this regard, it is clear that abuse had taken place. occurred. But what about the SPÖ? Isn’t there a suspicion here?
German: “I can rule that out. The SPÖ does not have a federal structure like the ÖVP. We have no such mixtures.”
Chancellor refers to the investigations
The NEOS notification concerns Upper Austria and Tyrol. This concerns misuse of financing (§ 153b StGB). Ex-governor Josef Pühringer, president of the Upper Austrian Senior Citizens’ Association, confirmed in an interview that “the money for the state administration was used almost exclusively to pay salaries”. The Senior Citizens’ Association, on the other hand, emphasizes that no salaries were paid, but that the aid was used correctly. This was also confirmed by an accountant.
The same suspicion also exists in Tyrol, as the chairman of the local pensioners talked about personnel costs. Tyrolean ÖVP governor Günther Platter declined to comment on the affair on Friday. Chancellor Nehammer referred to the ongoing investigations. FPÖ General Michael Schnedlitz speaks of a “mess” especially when Pühringer admits to meddling in election campaigns. He calls for resignation. The affair is likely to spread for a long time to come.
Source: Krone
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