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The pressure on Wolfgang Sobotka is mounting. The ÖVP politician and president of the Ibiza-U committee is now also being harassed by the green coalition partner. Sobotka must rest the presidency and “provide clarifications,” demanded the leader of the Green parliamentary group, Nina Tomaselli. Until then, the second president of the National Council, Doris Bures (SPÖ), should head the presidency. She wants to leave the decision to Sobotka.
The reason for this is the payments the Novomatic gaming group is said to have made to the “Alois Mock Institute” founded by Sobotka. So far it was only known that Novomatic had placed ads for 14,700 euros in the association’s magazine from 2017 to 2019. This was also confirmed by the Mock Institute.
However, since Wednesday night, the new figures that have become known have caused discussions: according to this, it is said that Novomatic transferred a total of 109,000 euros to the association, including announcements, in the years 2013 to 2019. From From 2013 to 2015, amounts greater than € 30,000, € 20,000, and € 10,000 are said to have been paid as “cost reimbursement,” after which smaller contributions were paid to replace room rental and restoration.
The “Waidhofner Kammerorchester” run by Sobotka was also supported by Novomatic. At least one invoice was accepted from the Lower Austrian Workers’ Association, which was previously handled by Sobotka.
Amount “collected internally”
The Mock Institute emphasizes that it has not received any amount from Novomatic other than advertising money. In a written statement it was noted that it was a “deliberate confusion of Novomatic’s internal invoices with advertising payments to the association. The sum is an internal billing for” room rental, catering, technology, etc. from one Novomatic subsidiary to another established subsidiary.
Sobotka is president of the “Alois Mock Institute”. The FPÖ, Neos and SPÖ consider it biased because Novomatic is playing a key role in the investigations at the U-Committee. In September, Sobotka was also questioned as an informant.
He admitted that in addition to the advertisements, Novomatic had also contributed a buffet and event rooms. “Otherwise, there was nothing going to the Alois Mock Institute in any way as a sponsorship or donation or in kind.”
The Greens see this statement in contradiction with the figures that are now known. Tomaselli asked Sobotka to clarify on Wednesday. SPÖ and Neos also want to denounce the president of the National Council for false testimony. The opposition and the Greens want to invite Sobotka back to the U-Committee. A Sobotka spokesperson stated that the president had “fully and truthfully answered” all questions about payments to the “Alois Mock Institute.”(sole)
