U-committee reports

FPÖ and NEOS see “deep state” and “black box”

Shetty and Hafenecker come to completely different conclusions.

(Bild: APA/ROLAND SCHLAGER)

The FPÖ and NEOS presented their parliamentary group reports on the two committees of inquiry on Thursday. The Freedom Party once again sees the "deep state" at work. The Pinks speak of a "non-transparent black box" - but that is where the similarities end.

The Blue Party sees usable information above all in the committee on COFAG, which they set up together with the SPÖ. The Covid financing agency is "a child of the deep state of the ÖVP", said parliamentary group leader Christian Hafenecker at a press conference. Yannick Shetty from the NEOS spoke of a "non-transparent black box".

FPÖ: the rich were supported
Following the COFAG committee of inquiry, Hafenecker believes it has been proven that the ÖVP deliberately supported billionaires and their corporate networks with COFAG, which was founded during the coronavirus pandemic. Signa founder René Benko is cited here as an example.

COFAG has completely failed in terms of craftsmanship and business.

Christian Hafenecker

Bild: APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER

In addition, companies that had already made enough profit were "topped up with financial aid". In turn, the survival of companies that were already in deficit was ensured.

The FPÖ press conference for review: 

The founding of COFAG itself is also more than questionable for the Freedom Party member, even after the questioning in the U Committee. By founding a limited company, the financing agency had been removed from parliamentary control. The management had been politically appointed by the governing parties ÖVP and Greens. The "construct" was created by a circle of advisors around the then ÖVP Finance Minister Gernot Blümel.

For Hafenecker, one thing is certain: "COFAG failed completely in terms of craftsmanship and economics." However, the U Committee also provided insights into the "deep state" within the Turkish-led Ministry of Finance. If, as a serious finance official, you got too close to "friends" such as Benko or the entrepreneur Siegfried Wolf, you were put under pressure by the "Office for Internal Affairs". The FPÖ now wants its own corona investigation committee.

NEOS see "Alpine Cyprus"
The NEOS also have nothing good to say about COFAG in their report. It was deliberately constructed as a "non-transparent black box", which led to massive overfunding. At the same time, the ÖVP and the Greens had used it to provide "their men" with top jobs.

The NEOS press conference for review: 

The committee had also shown "turquoise sprinkles" in the financial administration - for example in the form of Finance Ministry Secretary General Thomas Schmid and his then deputy Eduard Müller, who are said to have acted as "twins" like a strike force for interventions, or the Innsbruck tax office, which Shetty described as an "Alpine Cyprus for minions".

The FPÖ and NEOS also presented their reports on the committee of inquiry set up by the ÖVP into the "red-blue abuse of power". The Freedom Party believes that the tables have been turned, as the results prove an abuse of power by the ÖVP. This has already been proven by the appointment of the committee of inquiry by the ruling party, which wanted to investigate the opposition.

FPÖ sees Kickl exonerated, NEOS disagree
Hafenecker sees his party - in particular chairman Herbert Kickl, who was the ÖVP's main target in the committee - exonerated. The former interior minister of a turquoise-blue government had been given a pass by his successor Wolfgang Peschorn as well as by the internal audit. When it comes to the accusation of Russian espionage, the thread leads solely to the ÖVP. "There is a system, but it is coal black," said Hafenecker.

For Shetty from the NEOS, on the other hand, the inquiry into the "red-blue abuse of power" has degenerated into the feared "domestic political mud-slinging". By far the most relevant finding was "the Russian infiltration of Austria", he said. Chance discoveries during the arrest of ex-BVT chief inspector Egisto Ott had revealed intensive contacts between the FPÖ and this suspected Russian spy.

NEOS want Russia-U committee
In addition, the then Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl had wanted to set up a kind of parallel secret service, with Ott in a prominent position. "This urgently needs to be looked at more closely in a Russia-U committee," demanded Shetty. The subject matter of the investigation should then be as broad as possible; he identified dubious processes surrounding OMV's Russian gas contracts, for example.

Gazprom trap

• The gas supply contract between OMV and Gazprom, which was due to expire in 2028, was ceremoniously extended until 2040 in 2018.
• The consequence: Gazprom supplies, OMV has to pay, even if it no longer needs the gas. Payment guarantees were entered into in accordance with the "take or pay" principle.
• It is unclear how the gas is to reach Austria from 2025, as Ukraine has not extended a transit contract with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He attributed the fact that the SPÖ wants to wait for the result of the DSN control commission to the fact that it - like the ÖVP - is "also deeply involved".

Blue "free economy"
The committee had also uncovered blue abuse of power. Although the party had always railed against the ÖVP's and SPÖ's "free riding", it had "done the same thing much more brutally". There are suspicions, for example, that party leader Herbert Kickl awarded contracts to his own advertising agency Ideenschmiede or its successor company during his time as Interior Minister and is said to have earned millions from this over the years.

Shetty and Hafenecker come to completely different conclusions.

(Bild: APA/ROLAND SCHLAGER)

For Shetty, one of the lessons learned from the U-committees is that this instrument needs to be reformed. What is needed, for example, is an adjustment of the penalties for refusing to testify and tangible penalties if someone unlawfully refuses to testify repeatedly. Shetty also once again called for a live broadcast. Hafenecker from the FPÖ also wants this - "simply to show the voters what happens in there".