Scandal in Fußach

Former finance director questioned

For the accused former head of finance, a Court of Audit audit now has legal repercussions.

(Bild: Chantal Dorn, Krone KREATIV)

The trial surrounding the heavily criticized financial transactions of the municipality of Fußach entered its second round on Wednesday at the Feldkirch Regional Court.  

Packed with a thick file folder and a large bottle of mineral water, the accused former finance director took his seat in the dock at 9 a.m. on Wednesday. It was not clear at the time that the hearing would end up taking the whole day due to its complexity.

The presiding judge of the panel of lay judges, Verena Wackerle, began questioning the accused shortly afterwards. He is accused of wrongfully receiving bonuses, overtime allowances and overtime pay between 2013 and 2020 as the then head of finance of the municipality of Fußach. The loss amounts to more than 200,000 euros.

It concerns the period when the accused was responsible for the assessment of municipal funds in his role as finance manager. The central question is: how was it possible for him to accumulate more than 3,000 hours of overtime during this period?

I read seven magazines and journals every day and studied the teletext to keep up to date with the current stock market situation.

Der Angeklagte

According to the defendant, the municipality took the investment into its own hands after the financial crisis. He had then dealt intensively with the matter. "I read seven magazines and journals every day and studied the teletext to stay informed about the current stock market situation." He then entered the respective prices in an Excel list. In addition to his normal workload, he spent two and a half hours a day on this.

"Earned additional pay through extra work"

The accused also said that he had legitimately earned the additional pay by working overtime. He had taken on additional tasks in the municipal administration. For example, he had also been responsible for personnel agendas at times. The defendant argued that it was by no means the case that the upper salary limit for Fußach municipal employees decided by the municipal council had been circumvented with side agreements.

Lawyer Christina Lindner: "My client has been wrongly pilloried since 2019."

(Bild: Chantal Dorn)

The trial will continue on Thursday with the questioning of the former mayor, who has also been charged and who was also targeted by the public prosecutor's office following an audit by the Court of Audit.