The next two days of surveys in the ÖVP’s Corruption Inquiry Commission are devoted to the advertising and tax matter surrounding the Vorarlberger Wirtschaftsbund. In addition to Governor Markus Wallner, Finance Minister Magnus Brunner, former director of the Wirtschaftsbund Jürgen Kessler, financial officer and entrepreneur Jürgen Rauch and two accountants from the tax authorities will answer questions from MPs on Wednesday and Thursday.
The starting point of the cause, which caused a political earthquake in the Ländle, was a tax audit at the Wirtschaftsbund. There are allegations of possible corruption related to advertisements in the newspaper of the sub-organization ÖVP, the suspicion of collusive party financing and failure to pay taxes correctly, which is why a criminal financial proceeding is being launched by the prosecutor in Feldkirch.
The Office of Economic and Corruption Affairs (WKStA) has now launched an investigation into three suspects, including head of state Wallner. He is being investigated for accepting an advantage (Article 305 of the Criminal Code), and two other people – the current Minister of Economy Marco Tittler and his predecessor Karlheinz Rüdisser – for accepting an advantage to influence (Article 306 of the Criminal Code). Wallner could have tried to claim benefits as a civil servant for the dutiful conduct of official business, Rüdisser and Tittler could have accepted such benefits. Wallner dismissed the allegations in the strongest possible terms. He never negotiated or sold an advertisement.
Wallner will be invited to the subcommittee on Wednesday. In principle, however – because there are ongoing investigations against him – he can make use of his right of dismissal if there are questions about this. In addition to Wallner, a tax auditor in the field of large-scale audits and the retired director of the Vorarlberger Wirtschaftsbund, Jürgen Kessler, were invited to the first of the two survey days. The latter would not only have earned up to 30,000 euros gross per month, but also received an interest-free loan of 250,000 euros from the Wirtschaftsbund.
Finance Minister Brunner and entrepreneur Rauch, who is also financially responsible for the Wirtschaftsbund, will follow on Thursday. Rauch is considered extremely well-connected in the party and has donated to the Turquoises in the past under ex-chancellor Sebastian Kurz. The second day of the survey is completed with the deputy head of the tax office for large companies.
Source: Krone
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