In Mattersburg

Pucher grounds: Repercussions for million-euro deal

"Pucher reasons": the million-euro deal surrounding the meadow is to be scrutinized.

(Bild: Huber Patrick)

The sale of the "Pucher properties" in Mattersburg continues to cause a stir. The state is now calling in the public prosecutor's office to clarify the matter. The realization of the project is not to begin until all open questions have been clarified. 

The meadow in Mattersburg used to belong to Commerzialbank. Bank boss Martin Pucher wanted to build a new town hall, apartments and stores there. Following the bankruptcy of the financial institution, the site was bought at auction by a Lower Austrian entrepreneur from the bankruptcy estate for around 4.62 million euros. He then sold the site together with two other, less expensive plots to the BWSG railroad workers' housing cooperative for just under 15.7 million. For the entrepreneur, this meant a profit of around 10 million euros within three months - as an investigation by the "Wiener Zeitung" and "Tagespresse" revealed.

After the bankruptcy of Commerzialbank, the property was auctioned off

(Bild: Huber Patrick)

Many unanswered questions
For Governor Hans Peter Doskozil (SPÖ), the multi-million euro deal certainly raises many questions. Not least because the BWSG is a non-profit housing cooperative. The state will therefore approach the responsible supervisory authority at the Vienna City Council and the auditing association and demand an audit. At the same time, the public prosecutor's office for corruption will be notified.

We will have the facts investigated by the competent authorities and inform the public prosecutor's office. The public has a right to full transparency and clarification of all background information.

Landeshauptmann Hans Peter Doskozil (SPÖ)

Bild: APA/HANS KLAUS TECHT

State and city not involved
Doskozil explained that the steps would be taken without prejudice. It was also emphasized that the state had not been involved in the incidents at any time. Although Landesimmobilien Burgenland had bid in the auction, they had pulled out after the internally set limit had been exceeded. The city of Mattersburg was also not involved, as Mayor Claudia Schlager (SPÖ) stated: "We will only start with the realization of the project planned on this site once all open questions have been clarified."

Housing cooperative signals cooperation
The BWSG emphasized to ORF Burgenland that it is "open and cooperative to a comprehensive review of this process." It always acts in accordance with the highest standards of transparency and legal conformity. An invitation has already been issued to an extraordinary Supervisory Board meeting next week. MA 50 and the auditing association have also been invited.

Citizens' initiative and opposition welcome temporary halt to construction
The citizens' initiative "Lebenswertes Mattersburg", which has mobilized against the construction plans, supports the initiative of the state and city. The construction freeze is also welcomed by the Green Party. The FPÖ is also calling for the sale of the land to be reversed. There was also criticism of the deal from the ÖVP, which also wants the role of the SPÖ in the matter to be clarified.