Pilnacek on the investigation against Blümel: “This is a coup” – Politics –

The Finance Ministry sought advice from Christian Pilnacek, head of the Justice Section, now suspended, after a freezing order was issued due to allegations against Department Head Gernot Blümel (ÖVP). According to a report from the “Standard” (in cooperation with “profil” and ORF), Blümel’s chief of staff, Clemens-Wolfgang Niederist, addressed the section chief directly via a signal message, who acknowledged a ” hit “on the course. of the investigators’ actions.

The head of the section warned the Blümel employee that there should be a complaint against the search of the house that was “full of speculation”. Pilnacek also asks who is preparing the finance minister for the next questioning. The report refers to the evaluation of Pilnacek’s cell phone, which was taken from him in connection with a search of the home of investor Michael Tojner.

The relevant passage was also made known to the Disciplinary Senate which had last decided that there were no grounds for Pilnacek’s suspension. It is not yet clear whether the justice department will file a complaint. The section’s chief lawyer also stated that there were no breaches of duty. The Ministry of Finance justified the request to Pilnacek with the fact that “a legal clarification was necessary regarding the scope of delivery and the protection of employee data.” It was also questionable whether the Business and Corruption Prosecutor’s Office should not have used the administrative assistance instrument instead of seizures.

The affair, which also includes a raid on Blümel’s home, involves WKStA accusing the finance minister of an indirect connection to the problems of the Novomatic gambling group in Italy. Former Novomatic manager Harald Neumann had approached Blümel on this matter with a request for an appointment with then-Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) and also mentioned a possible party donation to the People’s Party.

The conversations that have now emerged between Pilnacek and the head of the finance ministry reveal once again a “black net” for the leader of the liberal parliamentary group in Commission U, Christian Hafenecker, extending not only at the political level, but also to all the world. ministries. He asks the Minister of Justice Alma Zadic (Greens) to appeal the decision of the Disciplinary Senate.

“Indignant” was the deputy. SPÖ club boss Jörg Leichtfried in a broadcast. He spoke of a “scandal” and asked Blümel to “explain and resign”. These talks “would once again reveal the icy power politics of the Kurz troop, which will stop at nothing to take action against investigations by the judiciary. That is the new style of the ÖVP, that is, the Kurz system in its form. purer “. “Leichtfried said. At the special session on the ÖBAG case next Friday, this matter will also be discussed, and a parliamentary question will be sent to Justice Minister Zadic.

NEOS called on Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) to remove Blümel from the government. “Hardly a day goes by that I don’t massively destroy Austrians’ confidence in the government,” said Commission U parliamentary group leader Stephanie Krisper. For Krisper, the chat shows “the Kurz-ÖVP networks, which they use to protect the finance minister as much as possible from criminal investigations.” This also proves the ‘Pilnacek system’ that NEOS has “viewed with concern and opposed” for a long time. Pilnacek’s tenure in office “is no longer acceptable.”

On Friday, April 9, 2021, ÖBAG board member Thomas Schmid’s chat minutes with Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and Finance Minister Gernot Blümel (ÖVP) will be a topic at the National Council. The three opposition parties jointly requested an extraordinary meeting on Thursday. Blümel is summoned to the House with an urgent question, and was asked about the conversation between his chief of staff and the head of the justice section Christian Pilnacek in February, which has now been released. According to “Standard” (in cooperation with “profil” and ORF), the evaluation of Pilnacek’s cell phone showed that Blümel’s chief of staff, Clemens-Wolfgang Niederist, sought advice from the now-suspended head of the justice section, saying that the investigators were doing the same recommended a “coup”, complaint against the search of the house. The APA reports. The extraordinary session will begin at 9 a.m., the urgent request will be dealt with from 12 a.m., according to the APA at the SPÖ club. In the ÖBAG chat protocols, SPÖ, FPÖ and NEOS are particularly concerned about the processes that led to Schmid’s appointment as sole director of ÖBAG. (APA)