Austria's former far-right vice chancellor convicted of corruption
Issued on: 27/08/2021 -
Text by: NEWS WIRES
3 min
A Vienna court convicted the former leader of Austria's far-right Heinz-Christian Strache of a corruption charge on Friday in a case stemming from a 2019 scandal known as "Ibizagate".
Strache, one of Europe's most high-profile former far-right leaders, was given a 15-month suspended jail sentence.
The Ibizagate scandal led to Strache resigning as vice-chancellor and head of the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe).
The affair brought down the coalition between the FPOe and the centre-right People's Party (OeVP) of Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and triggered fresh elections in the Alpine EU member.
The scandal broke when video footage emerged of Strache promising public contracts to a woman posing as a Russian oligarch's niece in exchange for support for the FPOe's 2017 election campaign.
The video, which was secretly filmed on the Spanish resort island of Ibiza, led to a sprawling investigation by anti-corruption prosecutors who turned up several other allegations of wrongdoing against Strache and other prominent politicians.
Acquitted on second charge
In the current trial the 52-year-old Strache was found guilty of helping change a law to help an FPOe donor friend of his to secure public funding for his private hospital.
Strache's co-accused Walter Grubmueller, a long-standing friend and owner of a private health clinic, was also found guilty and given a 12-month suspended sentence.
Judge Claudia Moravec-Loidolt said Strache had been acquitted of a second charge of receiving favours in the form of a trip to the Greek island of Corfu at Grubmueller's invitation.
Strache had protested his innocence throughout the trial.
Prosecutor Bernhard Weratschnig said in his closing argument that holders of public office should remain above even the perception of corruption and that the "advantages" Strache received were "indisputable".
"Every euro is one euro too many," he said.
According to an SMS exchange uncovered by prosecutors, Strache had asked Grubmueller which amendments to legislation would be needed in order for Grubmueller's clinic "to finally be treated in a fair manner".
During Strache's time in government, the law was amended to enable clinics like that of Grubmueller to receive money from the public health insurance fund.
Strache has also been accused of embezzling party funds to pay for his luxurious lifestyle during the 14 years he headed the FPOe, though he has not been charged over this.
Kurz returned to the chancellorship after the scandal, this time at the head of a coalition between his OeVP and the Greens, and has thus far managed to avoid any serious political damage from "Ibizagate".
The OeVP was even able to gain many disaffected FPOe voters in 2019 polls.
But in May, prosecutors announced they were investigating the 35-year-old on suspicion of giving false testimony to a committee of lawmakers probing "Ibizagate" and other graft allegations.
Kurz has denied the allegation and has insisted he will not bow to pressure to resign, even if formally charged.
Party infighting
The FPOe's vote share crashed from 26 percent in 2017 to just 16 percent in 2019.
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morningSubscribe
The party has spent much of the time since the scandal consumed by infighting.
In June, Strache's successor as leader, Norbert Hofer, resigned after weeks of tension with party colleague and former interior minister Herbert Kickl.
Kickl, seen as a party ideologue and mastermind of some of its anti-Islam and anti-migrant campaigns, took over as leader.
Meanwhile, Strache attempted a political comeback last year with a bid to be Vienna's mayor, but his list won just three percent of the vote in municipal elections.
(AFP)
Issued on: 27/08/2021 -
The former Austrian vice chancellor was given a 15-month suspended jail sentence.
© Lisa Leutner, AP
Text by: NEWS WIRES
3 min
A Vienna court convicted the former leader of Austria's far-right Heinz-Christian Strache of a corruption charge on Friday in a case stemming from a 2019 scandal known as "Ibizagate".
Strache, one of Europe's most high-profile former far-right leaders, was given a 15-month suspended jail sentence.
The Ibizagate scandal led to Strache resigning as vice-chancellor and head of the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe).
The affair brought down the coalition between the FPOe and the centre-right People's Party (OeVP) of Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and triggered fresh elections in the Alpine EU member.
The scandal broke when video footage emerged of Strache promising public contracts to a woman posing as a Russian oligarch's niece in exchange for support for the FPOe's 2017 election campaign.
The video, which was secretly filmed on the Spanish resort island of Ibiza, led to a sprawling investigation by anti-corruption prosecutors who turned up several other allegations of wrongdoing against Strache and other prominent politicians.
Acquitted on second charge
In the current trial the 52-year-old Strache was found guilty of helping change a law to help an FPOe donor friend of his to secure public funding for his private hospital.
Strache's co-accused Walter Grubmueller, a long-standing friend and owner of a private health clinic, was also found guilty and given a 12-month suspended sentence.
Judge Claudia Moravec-Loidolt said Strache had been acquitted of a second charge of receiving favours in the form of a trip to the Greek island of Corfu at Grubmueller's invitation.
Strache had protested his innocence throughout the trial.
Prosecutor Bernhard Weratschnig said in his closing argument that holders of public office should remain above even the perception of corruption and that the "advantages" Strache received were "indisputable".
"Every euro is one euro too many," he said.
According to an SMS exchange uncovered by prosecutors, Strache had asked Grubmueller which amendments to legislation would be needed in order for Grubmueller's clinic "to finally be treated in a fair manner".
During Strache's time in government, the law was amended to enable clinics like that of Grubmueller to receive money from the public health insurance fund.
Strache has also been accused of embezzling party funds to pay for his luxurious lifestyle during the 14 years he headed the FPOe, though he has not been charged over this.
Kurz returned to the chancellorship after the scandal, this time at the head of a coalition between his OeVP and the Greens, and has thus far managed to avoid any serious political damage from "Ibizagate".
The OeVP was even able to gain many disaffected FPOe voters in 2019 polls.
But in May, prosecutors announced they were investigating the 35-year-old on suspicion of giving false testimony to a committee of lawmakers probing "Ibizagate" and other graft allegations.
Kurz has denied the allegation and has insisted he will not bow to pressure to resign, even if formally charged.
Party infighting
The FPOe's vote share crashed from 26 percent in 2017 to just 16 percent in 2019.
Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morningSubscribe
The party has spent much of the time since the scandal consumed by infighting.
In June, Strache's successor as leader, Norbert Hofer, resigned after weeks of tension with party colleague and former interior minister Herbert Kickl.
Kickl, seen as a party ideologue and mastermind of some of its anti-Islam and anti-migrant campaigns, took over as leader.
Meanwhile, Strache attempted a political comeback last year with a bid to be Vienna's mayor, but his list won just three percent of the vote in municipal elections.
(AFP)
Austria finds former vice chancellor guilty of corruption
Heinz-Christian Strache is also the former chair of the far-right Freedom Party. The court found that a €10,000 donation to his party helped swing the law in favor of a private clinic.
Strache was caught up in the so-called Ibiza affair, a 2019 scandal that brought down the governing coalition that included his far-right party
Austria's former vice chancellor and far-right politician Heinz-Christian Strache was found guilty of corruption and received a suspended 15-month jail sentence on Friday over a donation to his populist Freedom Party (FPÖ).
The trial is the first criminal case against Strache in the "Ibiza affair," where he was secretly filmed offering to help a woman posing as a wealthy Russian donor in return for political favors.
What was the court's ruling?
Strache was found guilty of corruption and given a 15-month suspended sentence.
He faced trial alongside Walter Grubmüller, the owner of a private clinic, who made an illegal €10,000 donation to the party.
Prosecutors argued that the donation was an attempt to buy a change in the law in order to allow the clinic's operator to charge medical treatment costs directly to the Austrian public health insurance fund.
The clinic got access to the funds in 2018.
Strache had testified that he believed the clinic was being treated unfairly by the state and that the party donations had nothing to do with the matter.
The judge ruled that the donation influenced a change in the law, alongside private perks in favor of the clinic.
Grubmüller was also found guilty and received a year's suspended jail sentence.
Both sentences can be appealed.
Also examined were alleged trips made by Strache to the Greek island of Corfu at the invitation of Grubmüller, who is a longtime friend.
Strache has denied traveling to the island after he became vice-chancellor.
The trial was an outgrowth of the sprawling investigation into the FPÖ's financing that was prompted by the Ibiza affair.
Who is Heinz-Christian Strache?
Heinz-Christian Strache is a far-right politician and former head of the populist Freedom Party.
He was also Austrian vice chancellor from December 2017 until May 2019, under a coalition with the conservatives.
The coalition collapsed due to a secret video scandal known as the "Ibiza Affair."
What was the Ibiza affair?
The scandal broke when video footage emerged of Strache promising public contracts to a woman posing as a Russian oligarch's niece in exchange for support for the FPÖ's 2017 election campaign.
The video, which was secretly filmed on the Spanish resort island of Ibiza, brought down the coalition between the FPÖ and the center-right People's Party of Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and triggered fresh elections.
It also led to an investigation by anti-corruption prosecutors who turned up several other allegations of wrongdoing against Strache and other prominent politicians.
mm/rt (dpa, Reuters)
No comments:
Post a Comment