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“Our headquarters are in Lower Austria, which is where our sponsorship is centered,” he said in response to questions from members of parliament.
“We want to be perceived as an employer there, so that we can present our brand there,” Krenn explained. But it is “important that there be clear service and consideration.” At the Alois Mock Institute, he identified this in the fact that Novomatic would like to be associated with the name of the former ÖVP Foreign Minister, Alois Mock, and the European idea he stands for, says Krenn: “We keep it, that’s why we support them. ” Krenn justified the placement of ads in a club’s magazine by stating that it was aimed specifically at decision makers.
But he couldn’t say anything about how the cooperation came about. That was before his time. Basically, however, Novomatic supports more than 350 clubs. Also, club officials often approach the playing group, Krenn said. Then a department examines it and rates it. Of course, there cannot be sponsorship with everyone.
The situation is similar with the Waidhofen / Ybbs Chamber Orchestra, with which Sobotka occasionally conducts, but has no role. According to Krenn, he cannot remember how this cooperation came about: “It kind of came about.” But he doesn’t think Novomatic approached the chamber orchestra “proactively”. However, procedural judge Wolfgang Pöschl interrupted the questions of the leader of the NEOS parliamentary group, Stephanie Krisper, about the chamber orchestra because he could not see any connection to the subject of the investigation. After a short break, Pöschl explains: “I keep the questions about the Waidhofen Chamber Orchestra, where President Sobotka occasionally acted as a private conductor, cannot be reconciled with the subject of the investigation.”
In any case, Krenn stated that he never came to the parties to discuss donations. In the summer of 2017, during the National Council election campaign at the time, former Novomatic boss Harald Neumann had the idea that Novomatic could donate to all parties. “But this idea was not followed up and it was not implemented,” Krenn said. If Novomatic had wanted to donate, it would have been implemented. So Novomatic had at least planned to “pay everyone,” asked Green Party leader Nina Tomaselli. Krenn replied again that this had not been implemented.
Novomatic day with Novomatic advertising in the Ibizia U committee
The question of whether Novomatic really pays everyone, as former Vice Chancellor and FPÖ head Heinz-Christian Strache put it, was debated in the Ibiza-U-Committee on Wednesday. Two managers from the playgroup were questioned and unsurprisingly rejected this claim. Instead, Novomatic’s favor was solicited, a spear broke for private sponsorship, and there were also rejections in one case with reference to criminal investigations galore.
It was Alexander Merwald’s turn as Novomatic’s head coach. During a search of the house in March, investigators found a kind of “price list” on him. Merwald was accused by the opposition of trying to obtain licenses through former liberal secretary of state for finance Hubert Fuchs. He denied it: “I never met, met or spoke with the gentleman.”
Strache’s saying “The Novomatic pays everyone”, according to Merwald’s own statement, he found to be “completely unfounded”: “It was incomprehensible to me.” The resulting impression that the company would pay bribes is to him “completely out of the world.” The manager referred to the strict compliance regulations in his company, which are strictly adhered to when applying for licenses in various countries.
Although he is a suspect, the Economic and Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (WKStA) has yet to question Merwald in relation to the investigation into gambling as a result of the Ibiza affair. This fact repeatedly served the defendant as the reason for a series of rejections in response to questions from the deputies. You want to respond to the prosecution first before commenting on it elsewhere.
The second respondent of the day, Director of Public Affairs Stefan Krenn, seemed less fragile. He also referred Strache’s claim about Ibiza to the realm of myth: “No, Novomatic doesn’t pay everyone. But many want Novomatic’s support.” The group is a “leading Austrian company par excellence”, supporting Austria, securing jobs and paying heavily in taxes, campaigning for the favor of the public and MPs.
Krenn also underscored the importance of sponsorship, especially for the club scene. “Some of you have already knocked on the door of large companies, including Novomatic, and asked for donations, sponsorship or participation in an event,” he told the deputies. This is “completely legitimate”. As before Merwald, he also emphasized that decisions will be made according to “transparent rules anchored in the group”, without “inadmissible” counterclaims.
Judge Wolfgang Pöschl wanted to know more about the cooperation between Novomatic and the clubs. For example, with the liberal Institute for Security Policy (ISP). The Business and Corruption Prosecutor’s Office has already closed its investigation on donations to associations of all parties. Krenn confirmed the cooperation with the ISP, after all, it was possible to establish contacts with leading figures in the field of security policy. And the Ministry of Defense would have also cooperated with the association.
Krenn also defended the cooperation between the gaming group and the Alois Mock Institute, whose chairman is the chairman of the U-Committee, chairman of the National Council, Wolfgang Sobotka (ÖVP): “Our headquarters are in Lower Austria, and that’s where focuses our sponsorship, “he explained. answered relevant questions from the deputies. “We want to be perceived there as an employer, so that we can present our brand there,” Krenn explained. Krenn justified the ad placement in a club magazine by stating that it was specifically targeted at decision makers.
According to Krenn, Krenn was not involved in the appointment of Peter Sidlo, related to the FPÖ, on the Novomatic board. The company also had no right to nominate, he said. Krenn was also convinced that there was no “background agreement” with Sidlo.
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