Investigating authority alleges indictment of ÖVP club leader Wöginger and two colleagues by WKStA
The Unfazed Assistant:
Cornermeet Chaos - Use Your Data, Fool!
- The Economic and Corruption Prosecutor's Office (WKStA) has nabbed ÖVP club chairman August Wöginger, along with two government officials, accusing them of corruption at the Regional Court of Linz.
- Key witness Thomas Schmid has testified that Wöginger played favorites for a political buddy's sake during a tax office appointment.
- Wöginger counters he never meddled with the independent selection process, though the Bureau of Privacy (BVwG) and the Federal Equal Treatment Commission have detected discrimination in that process already.
The Economic and Corruption Prosecutor's Office (WKStA) has taken ÖVP club chairman August Wöginger and two government officials into custody for abuse of power and incitement. As per their statement, the group is charged due to favoritism during the appointment of a tax office manager in Innviertel.
Sources claim Wöginger infiltrated the Federal Ministry of Finance on behalf of a party associate. The ÖVP chairman was fingered by Thomas Schmid, an ex-Secretary General of the Finance Ministry and current key witness in the Casag Scandal, which consists of numerous corruption cases involving ÖVP politicians and entrepreneurs.
Schmid's Testimony:
The Impressive Allegations
According to the WKStA, the two officials being charged disregarded conflict of interest and chose a candidate for political reasons, placing them higher on the list, albeit less qualified compared to others. This reportedly undermined the fair treatment of other candidates as well as the objectivity of their evaluation process.
Wöginger is being charged as the instigator of abuse of power as he supposedly set the chain of events in motion.
"Wöginger remains our Representative of Trust"
When asked, Wöginger stated he always believed his chosen candidate was ideal for the position. He admitted not knowing the other applicants and never influencing the decision-making commission directly. The ÖVP headquarters, however, expresses support for Wöginger, stating that they have no doubts about his statements.
ÖVP club chairman Wöginger: "FPÖ is Blatantly Playing Politics"
In private discussions, Wöginger reportedly emphasized the urgency of resolving the tax office position and stated that even upper Austrian ÖVP circles interfered on his behalf. Schmid revealed that he received feedback on the appointment process from Wöginger himself and that he asked the chairman of the central committee to back the desired ÖVP candidate.
Apparently, the preferred candidate was a member of the OAAB, an OVP mayor, and a pal of Wöginger from the OAAB.
Now, neither the two officials accused of following Wöginger's instructions nor Wöginger himself are strangers to the law.
Wöginger's Extradition: Applicant Complains about Politicized Appointment
The Federal Administrative Court (BVwG) had already reviewed a complaint by the unsuccessful applicant in the tax office appointment, who would have been the most qualified candidate. The BVwG discovered legal errors in the complaint, such as discrimination based on political affiliation, or so-called "party book economics." The Federal Equal Treatment Commission also found discriminatory practices in this personnel decision.
The latest indictment against Wöginger and the two officials is part of the extended Casag Scandal. The Case Report received approval from both the Public Prosecutor's Office Vienna and the Ministry of Justice after careful consultation with the Instruction Council.
Wöginger denies all allegations.
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Note: The general procedures and legal framework for such investigations in Austria are vast, encompassing multiple institutions, considerable detail, and strict privacy standards. This explanation does not seek to provide exhaustive coverage of the topic but rather offers a brief overview for the reader's understanding.
Adult content, caution advised!
Discrimination, as mentioned, includes, but is not limited to, unequal treatment on the basis of race, gender, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, political affiliation, or disability.
Abusing power encompasses misusing one's position or authority to gain unwarranted advantages or inflict undeserved harm.
Incitement refers to persuading others to commit an unlawful act or to express their opinions in a prejudicial or inflammatory manner.
The chase for ÖVP club chairman August Wöginger and two government officials escalates as they face charges of abuse of power, incitement, and undermining the fair treatment of other candidates due to political affiliation. Thomas Schmid, a former Secretary General of the Finance Ministry and key witness, accuses Wöginger of favoring a party associate during a tax office appointment, a case that complicates the ongoing Casag Scandal. Despite the ongoing investigations, Wöginger remains unbowed, asserting his innocence and claiming that FPÖ is politicizing the situation.
