Commission report

New dispute over justice is already pre-programmed

Justice Minister Alma Zadic set up a sub-commission after a tape recording of the deceased former section chief Pilnacek emerged

(Bild: APA/HELMUT FOHRINGER)

On Monday, the U-Commission on Judicial Conflicts will present its findings. Justice Minister Alma Zadić (Greens) had set it up after a secretly recorded audio recording of the deceased head of the justice section Christian Pilnacek was published by "Krone" and ORF. Plus: WKStA faces prominent departure.

Since the beginning of the coalition, the judiciary has been the bone of contention between the ÖVP and the Greens. The main focus is on the investigations by the Economic and Corruption Prosecutor's Office (WKStA) into ÖVP politicians. Oil could be poured on the fire again on Monday. Martin Kreutner, head of the U-Commission, presents his final report. As a reminder: 

When secretly recorded audio of the deceased head of the justice section Christian Pilnacek emerged the previous year, Justice Minister Zadic set up the commission.

Alma Zadic and Martin Kreutner

(Bild: APA/EVA MANHART)

What could be heard on the tape? Pilnacek said in a drunken state that he had been accused by National Council President Wolfgang Sobotka of not turning off investigations against the ÖVP. According to Pilnacek, he had always defended himself against such influence peddling. Sobotka denied this. An initial suspicion of abuse of office against him was not pursued due to a lack of suspicious facts.

Political influence, appointments & co.
The commission's report mainly revolves around the question of whether there was political influence on investigations. Commission head Kreutner also wants to investigate appointments to posts in the administration of justice. The commission has also looked at whether representatives of the judiciary cooperated with political parties and the media and, for example, passed on internal information to them. As the commission examined documents from previous years and also the data from Christian Pilancek's private laptop, the result could be unpleasant for both the ÖVP and possibly the SPÖ. Fierce political debates and disputes are therefore inevitable. 

Senior public prosecutor Bernhard Weratschnig moves to Klagenfurt. He has applied to head the public prosecutor's office in Klagenfurt.

(Bild: Rojsek-Wiedergut Uta)

One public prosecutor's office in particular will be on everyone's lips again - the corruption hunters. The WKStA has come in for a lot of criticism in recent months because house searches were declared inadmissible by the Higher Regional Court. It has also not yet been able to secure a conviction against Heinz-Christian Strache.

Many important senior public prosecutors are leaving the WKStA
But that's not all: the elite public prosecutor's office has seen some prominent departures. Gregor Adamovic and Christine Jilek, both of whom were the leading senior public prosecutors in the inquiry case that led to the resignation of Sebastian Kurz, have already taken up their new posts. Now, of all people, the group leader of the Ibiza complex is also moving away. Bernhard Weratschnig has applied to head the public prosecutor's office in Klagenfurt. This was confirmed by the senior public prosecutor's office in Graz to the "Krone" newspaper.

Two men and one woman were in the final selection for the Carinthian chief prosecutor. According to "Krone" information, Weratschnig is said to have been ranked first by the personnel commission, just ahead of public prosecutor Tina Frimmel-Hesse. "The commission has made its recommendation, now the ball is in the court of the Minister of Justice's court", according to the media office of the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office in Graz. This is because Alma Zadic can overturn the ranking and appoint Tina Frimmel-Hesse. For the WKStA, the departure of Weratschnig would be a super-GAU.