After the attack on Mayor Hannes Koza (ÖVP) of Vösendorf, an investigation is now underway on suspicion of bodily harm and dangerous threats against unknown persons. Police have announced special surveillance by civilian and uniformed forces for next Wednesday’s city council meeting.
Koza was beaten and threatened with murder on Tuesday evening. The next day, at the local inspection of the “Krone”, he seemed just as energetic as before.
Thick violet on the right side of the face
The only evidence of the night attack is a thick violet on the right side of his face. As reported, the ÖVP politician was brutally beaten on his way home from work on Tuesday evening.
Koza doesn’t want to be intimidated
The unknown assailant threatened him with the words: “You won’t survive tomorrow’s council meeting, you whore.” But Koza does not want to be intimidated by this, there is too much at stake on Wednesday evening. It’s about the budget and determining the course for the future. This also includes a planned advertisement for an ex-SPÖ representative who, as an electrician, is said to have caused more than 30,000 euros in damage to the community.
Heavy police presence
In any case, a large police force must monitor the planned decisions, and civilian units are also on site. There’s no reason for Koza to get excited. He has the support of his fellow party members. After all, Koza governs the market town with an absolute majority: “The only one who can get me out of the municipal office is the voter or death,” Koza explains firmly. Hate has no place in Vösendorf either…
There is still no trace of the unknown. Although there is surveillance camera footage showing the brutal and cowardly incident, precise information about the perpetrator is scarce.
Koza made the news several times
The mayor made the news several times at the beginning of this year. In May he clearly won the early local elections in Vösendorf. The starting point for the vote was an investigation against Koza; investigations into breach of trust, sedition and abuse of office were halted in March. There was a diversion regarding the allegation of falsification of documents. The local boss is said to have been reimbursed by the municipality for costs incurred in response to a tweet in the course of a legal dispute and is said to have ‘corrected’ a lawyer’s note himself. The amount of 1,129.32 euros would have been shown as consultancy costs for the purchase of a new fire engine. Koza refunded the amount.
Mayor shot in Upper Austria
While attacks on politicians and campaign workers have increased recently in Germany, such attacks are rare in Austria. However, the murder of a mayor in the Mühlviertel at the end of October caused horror. The background to the double murder was hunting disputes.
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.
