During the first round of discussions between the EU’s top candidates after the first trend survey, verbal sparks flew in the ORF studio. Andreas Schieder (SPÖ) in particular targeted Harald Vilimsky (FPÖ). The affair surrounding the handbag of Philippa Strache, the ex-wife of Heinz-Christian Strache, was also unpacked again.
The discussion even made ORF editors Tobias Pötzelsberger and Peter Unger shake their heads. “Some people in this studio will be glad this discussion is over. It leaves you a little speechless at what we just saw. The election campaign does not seem to be completely over yet,” said Pötzelsberger.
FPÖ funds in sight
What happened? The tone throughout the conversation was extremely rough. The focus was on FPÖ leadership candidate Harald Vilimsky, who faced sharp accusations from his opponents. He in turn responded with strong comments. Emotions ran high.
“Sports bags with money…”
“We know that FPÖ party leader Herbert Kickl paid himself a lot of money – in addition to his full parliamentary salary. We know all the cases surrounding the Strache affair, in which Vilimsky was also involved. Sports bags with money, the woman’s handbag above the party coffers: all things that I do not want for Austria and that threaten us – also substantively – with the FPÖ, that things will go downhill,” growled Andreas Schieder (SPÖ). from Vilimsky.
As a reminder, Heinz-Christian Strache is suspected of having largely financed his private life with party money during his FPÖ party leadership (2006 to the end of May 2019).
“Bribes from desert states…”
Vilimsky refuted Schieder’s statements with his own accusations against the SPÖ: “With you in the ranks of the SPÖ you will find hundreds of thousands of euros in cash and bribes from desert states. Stop accusing us of corruption where none exists.” Vilimsky also criticized the SPÖ for opening doors to radical Islamists in Vienna. During the election campaign, the FPÖ politician described Schieder as the “top Islamist representative”.
‘Babler and Nehammer will get other jobs’
Vilimsky also added fuel to the fire towards the two party leaders Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) and Andreas Babler (SPÖ). According to him, after the elections for the National Council in the autumn, both will have other jobs and will no longer have a say in the future government.
Lopatka to Vilimsky: “You can create wanted lists”
ÖVP leadership candidate Reinhold Lopatka responded angrily: “We should not interfere at all with what the FPÖ is doing. But Vilimsky wants to tell us and the SPÖ what to do, we are not there yet.’ election for the ÖVP and SPÖ. And hopefully never.” Vilimsky’s response: “Keep up the good work, colleague Lopatka, and you will soon be out of parliament.”
“You can look away like a schoolboy…”
Vilimsky also had a difficult time with NEOS top candidate Harald Brandstätter. “You accuse me of being close to Putin, you accuse me of being a warmonger, you can look the other way like a schoolboy. The fact is that you have lost the 15% you got in all surveys. The minus of 5% came from Brandstätter’s completely exaggerated rhetoric.” Brandstätter pointedly looked away from Vilimsky’s comments.
Brandstätter towards Vilimsky: “The nice thing is: everyone who told me that it was so terrible with Vilimsky now tells me not to worry, because he is never in Brussels anyway. That’s the beauty of this evening.”
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.
