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Foreign Minister Sebastián Kurz (ÖVP) has refused to answer two parliamentary questions about the presence on Twitter of his communications strategist Gerald Fleischmann. As justification, Kurz said it was a “private account”.
11.47 a.m., May 12, 2020
A message posted on Fleischmann’s Twitter account had caused a stir at the start of the crown crisis. Because he was massively criticized at a Chancellor’s press conference. “What a shameful staging! Why does Kurz have to hold a conference on AUA and air traffic and border controls, what worries him at all?
A report on the press conference was linked to the chancellor Sebastian Kurz together with the Minister of Social Affairs Rudolf Anschober (Greens) and Minister of the Interior Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) and others Health checks had been announced at the Italian border.
The message was quickly removed, but a screenshot was circulating on Twitter, accompanied by speculation that the text might destined for another account whereupon the chancellor’s media adviser wanted to test the reactions to his boss’s criticism. Gerald Fleischmann Even after a long moment of fear, she claimed not to have written the tweet: “Somebody took a bad joke.” He gave no further explanations.
Parliamentary question
The SPÖ and NEOS, therefore, asked in a parliamentary question who else could have access to the Chancellor’s advisor’s Twitter account and whether the tweet could go to another account or as a direct message. Kurz did not answer the questions in terms of content: it was a question private accountThe chancellor wrote to the deputies that he was not aware of any information on their use. It also remains unanswered if the alleged third-party access to the account of a nearby chancellor had consequences.
“It is not a private matter”
SP media spokesperson Thomas drozda criticizes this as “not acceptable”. It also comes across the fact that the Chancellor’s Office only has an official Twitter account (@bkagvat) and consequently Kurz’s own presence on Twitter is not an official Chancellery account. “Communication between government officials and their closest associates cannot be a private matter,” Drozda told APA. He announces a parliamentary sequel.
However, parliamentarians do not have a significant influence if members of the government do not respond adequately to the queries from their point of view; at best, a consultation meeting would be possible in the plenary session of the National Council.
