Reasons for corruption – Kreutner: “You just do it if you can”

In Austria, corruption is generally not as bad as is often portrayed. Kreutner: “But we are not the model students in this respect.” Corruption cases from the past, for example around the new AKH building in Vienna, some advertising scandals or the leg scraping instrument, would show that corruption also exists in Austria. Kreutner views corruption as ‘the knowing misuse of power for one’s own benefit’.

Better than the crowd
A distinction must be made between corruption among the masses and corruption for wealthy sections of society. Kreutner: “Corruption does not only affect the higher levels. You just do it if you can. Because you have good networks and know decision makers. And because you can also exercise power with it. That makes you better than the mafia, to refer to the current chat traffic.”

ORF salaries
The corruption expert also comments on current events at ORF regarding the level of salaries paid. Kreutner: “Of course everyone focused on this one page in the ORF transparency report. It was about 60 pages long. But in Austria, salary issues are always a concern. In the US, anyone would be proud to be on such a list. In the second sentence you are often addressed with “How much money do you make?”

But in Austria things are completely different.” In this country, people tend to hide behind their own wages and don’t want to talk about them. But you really want to know everyone’s salary. That is also why only this one page of the transparency report is discussed, but not the rest.