The think tank case

An old problem catches up with Kickl

Herbert Kickl is expected to answer a number of controversial questions about a trust agreement that has recently emerged.

(Bild: Peter Tomschi, Krone KREATIV)

For FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl, the "think tank" case seemed to be a done deal. A new trust agreement for the purchase of a property raises explosive questions. The ÖVP wants answers to these questions in the U-committee, where Kickl has been summoned again. Lawyer denies that Kickl co-financed the property. 

For a long time, Herbert Kickl had a pretty cozy political life. The ÖVP was drowning in chat scandals. The SPÖ fought endless internal election battles. Kickl seemed to be the laughing third. He rose and rose in the polls. But now his past - or more precisely an old business model - is catching up with him, namely the affair surrounding the Carinthian advertising agency Ideenschmiede. Ten years ago, the WKStA was already investigating his business partner Thomas Sila and the former Carinthian provincial deputy Uwe Scheuch in this case.

Herbert Kickl can expect some explosive questions about a trust agreement that has recently emerged.

(Bild: Peter Tomschi, Krone KREATIV)

Kickl's friend and agency boss ends up with a diversion. Scheuch is charged and convicted for kick-back payments. A contract between the Ideenschmiede agency and the FPÖ Carinthia (or was it the BZÖ at the time) contains the interesting sentence: "For orders from FPÖ provincial government offices, the FPÖ Carinthia receives 20 percent of the order volume credited by the agency." A classic kick-back model. 

Kickl appeared as a witness at the time, but he was never investigated, mainly because the then section head Christian Pilnacek thought the soup was too thin.  

The late section head Christian Pilnacek vetoed the case.

(Bild: Wolfgang Spitzbart, APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)

How could Pilnacek come to this legal opinion?
Quite simply: Kickl founded the agency together with Sila in 2005, but it never appeared in the company register. There is a trust agreement according to which Kickl is half owner of the think tank and Sila manages his shares on a fiduciary basis. When questioned by the WKStA, the FPÖ leader claimed that he had only been a silent partner "for a few weeks". The trusteeship had been dissolved "verbally". The two contradicted each other on this point - Sila spoke of a written termination, but was never able to produce a corresponding document. And their tax advisor said: "I am not aware of any termination of the trusteeship (by Kickl)."

Green Justice Minister Alma Zadić also stated in a parliamentary question that despite extensive investigations, it could not be determined with certainty whether fiduciary agreements between Sila and Kickl had actually been adhered to.

Why is the think tank suddenly back in the spotlight?
A new trust agreement has now emerged (see facsimiles) - for the purchase of a property, as reported in the "Falter" newspaper. In 2010, Sila and Kickl bought the property where the "Ideenschmiede" has its headquarters from the federal real estate company for just under 200,000 euros. Now the property is to be sold - for a whopping 1.2 million euros. The trust agreement states that Kickl contributed just over 100,000 euros to the purchase price in 2010. 

"Kickl never transferred money for the purchase"
 For lawyer Martin Dohnal, who represents Thomas Sila, this is a weak attempt to rehash an old case in which everything was meticulously investigated. "The trust agreement for the property never came to fruition because Sila financed the purchase with a loan after all. Kickl never transferred money to Sila for the purchase. Around seven sets of facts were examined during the investigation. All the accounts of my client and his family were opened, but the WKStA found no connection to Kickl."

ÖVP parliamentary group leader Andreas Hanger wants answers from Kickl.

(Bild: APA/MAX SLOVENCIK)

Why is the think tank even a topic for the U Committee?
The Ideenschmiede agency was renamed Signs after the scandal in 2015. When Kickl became Interior Minister at the end of 2017, the agency suddenly reappeared. It designed a logo for the police - according to Herbert Kickl, the agency did not charge a fee for the design. With this commission for the Ministry of the Interior, the agency becomes the subject of an investigation by the "Red-Blue Abuse of Power" U Committee. At a press conference on Monday, ÖVP parliamentary group leader Andreas Hanger will publish the questions he intends to ask Kickl at his next appearance as a respondent. "Then Kickl can prepare for the content of the questions and there will be no more excuses that he can't remember", says Hanger.  

Hanger has many questions for the FPÖ leader: "As Interior Minister, Kickl worked with an advertising agency in which he was or is personally involved. Why he wanted to conceal this involvement via fiduciary contracts is a key question that we will clarify."