Care of Corruption: Searches in office of Chancellor of Austria

In Austria in the office of Chancellor Sebastian Kurtz and at the headquarters of his Austrian People’s Party in Vienna (ÖVP) are searched. It is reported by Der Standard.

Searches come as part of the case on accusations of confidence, bribery and corruption. At the heart of the charges – investigations published in the media paid by the Ministry of Finance.

We are talking about “cooperation agreements in the field of advertising and the media for a total amount of about 1.3 million euros.” According to the prosecution, as a result, “possibilities to influence the content and time of publications” were used. The then Secretary General of the Ministry of Finance Thomas Schmid and the spokesman promised “the advantages for Sebastian Kurtz, the group of its closest approximate and ÖVP”. In turn, the ÖVP itself called the charges “false.”

Today, several investigators entered the party office in the center of Vienna with a search order by the volume of more than 100 pages. Search also passed in the office of the head of government. The focus is on Chancellor Kurtu and his nearest surroundings: Stefan Stefan Stefan, a specialist in media relations Gerald Flashmann. Also in the list of suspected Secretary General of the Ministry of Finance, Thomas Schmid, Ex-Minister Sofi Karmasin and Brothers Wolfgang and Helmut Fellener.