Blue-black war

Excitement about FPÖ chats on the police

FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl will not take the ÖVP's accusations lying down.

(Bild: Klemens Groh)

Just a few days after the FPÖ chats with the ORF, there is now the next furor. This time it's about personnel issues in the Lower Austrian police force and the Ombudsman's Office. The FPÖ and the ÖVP are accusing each other of post haggling. FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl announces to the "Krone" newspaper that he will provide clarification as a witness in the forthcoming U Committee.

According to the newly emerged Chets, Kickl wanted to delay the appointment of Franz Popp as Lower Austrian state police director in 2019 and prevent Werner Amon (ÖVP) from becoming the Ombudsman for the Ministry of the Interior. Kickl confirmed this to the "Krone" newspaper, but explained the background differently to the ÖVP. According to Kickl, Popp was the result of an ÖVP job shake-up that he wanted to prevent. In order to get the ÖVP's preferred candidate through, a law degree was omitted from the advertisement, Kickl clarifies. The archive proves him right, the case already caused a stir at the time.

Amon as BMI examiner a "nogo"
The situation is similar in the Amon case: contrary to long-standing practice, Amon wanted to take over the audit competence for the Ministry of the Interior. This would have required a unanimous decision by all three Ombudsmen. This never came about. The FPÖ discussed these matters in chats during its time in government: "Not that Amon will then audit the BMI. Nogo! Please communicate with decision-makers," wrote the then Interior Minister and current FPÖ leader Kickl to the then party leader and Vice-Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache. 

Werner Amon was a long-time member of the National Council and later Ombudsman

(Bild: Christian Jauschowetz)

Franz Popp, Director of the Provincial Police of Lower Austria

(Bild: Gabriele Moser)

Mikl-Leitner for Popp, FPÖ against
Popp, on the other hand, was appointed Provincial Police Director of Lower Austria on July 1, 2020 - only after the end of the turquoise-blue government period. Lower Austria's governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner (ÖVP) campaigned for him. Strache wanted to cooperate with her, Kickl was against it. "Popp won't work without us. I'll leave her in suspense, there are other options. We shouldn't forget how the lady dealt with Udo," Kickl wrote to Strache in spring 2019.

Popp won't go without us. I'll let her (Mikl-Leitner, editor's note) flounder, there are other options.

Kickl in einer Nachricht an Strache

He was alluding to Udo Landbauer (FPÖ), who is now Deputy Governor of Lower Austria. Mikl-Leitner had ruled out working with the politician in connection with the so-called songbook affair shortly before the 2018 state elections. He was later a witness, but proceedings were discontinued.

Kickl: "Not vicarious agents" of the provincial governor
"You just have to know that if Popp doesn't make it, Mikl will explode," Strache replied. "I know her position, but we are not her vicarious agents," said Kickl in response. Today, the Freedom Party emphasizes that Mikl-Leitner's interventions were "inadmissible" because Popp had not completed a law degree.

The ÖVP, whose Secretary General Christian Stocker speaks of "hectic attempts at justification", harbors a different suspicion. Did the FPÖ want to get their people into position here and eliminate deserving and highly qualified police officers?" he asked in a press release. As reported , FPÖ chats about personnel requests in the ORF had previously caused a stir.

Kickl: "Stocker will still take a look"
Kickl contradicts this in an interview with the "Krone": "Mr. Stocker will take a look. I will provide clarity in the U-Committee." Kickl will be called to testify in the red-blue U-Committee the week after next. This session already promises to be exciting.