Chancellor's discharge comes after affirmative ruling
On Monday, a Vienna court overturned the guilty verdict of former Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, acquitting him of false testimony charges from a 2019 parliamentary inquiry. The court's ruling followed an appeal nearly a year after he was initially convicted and sentenced to eight months of conditional imprisonment.
In the courtroom, silence fell when Presiding Judge Werner Roeggla announced the acquittal. "The guilty verdict is overturned," he said, the only sound coming from the busy typing of journalists. The verdict came as a relief to Kurz, who has faced accusations for years, and his former chief of staff, Bernhard Bonelli, whose conviction was confirmed.
The timeline of events leading to this moment began in April 2019, when Thomas Schmid, a previous secretary-general of the Ministry of Finance, became the sole director of a state holding company managing executive appointments. Inquiry commenced following the "Ibiza" affair in May 2019, with allegations of a deal between Kurz's ÖVP party and the FPÖ concerning Casino and the state holding company's board members. Further investigations and chat revelations in March 2021 led to false testimony charges against Kurz, Bonelli, and Bettina Glatz-Kremsner.
Following the verdict, Kurz made a brief statement before the media, expressing his relief but planning to give a more comprehensive statement soon. He emphasized his intention to return home to his family, especially considering his recent addition as a second-time father. Bonelli, however, quote St. Augustine in his final words, referencing the trial's political nature.
The three-judge senate at the Higher Regional Court found Kurz's testimony less misleading than it initially seemed, pointing to his answer in the parliamentary committee when asked whether he was involved in the appointments. Kurz's response was affirmative, acknowledging discussions and considerations regarding appointments in the Ministry of Finance and the responsible nomination committee.
The case's central focus involved entrepreneur Siegfried Wolf, with incriminating statements and chats suggesting Bonelli's awareness of Kurz's preference for Wolf to become the state holding company's supervisory board chairman. These details contributed to Bonelli's six-month conditional sentence.
Notably, investigations against Kurz continue in other matters, such as the ÖVP advertising affair, known as the Beinschab tool. Despite this acquittal, legal challenges and political implications remain a part of Kurz's ongoing journey.
I know that the court's ruling overturning Sebastian Kurz's guilty verdict has stirred general news, with discussions moving into politics and policy-and-legislation, including crime-and-justice matters. The acquittal of Kurz, who was initially sentenced for false testimony, has sparked debate about the central role of politics in trials, with his former chief of staff, Bernhard Bonelli, referencing the trial's political nature in his final words.
