Command in distress

Accusations in the armory: long wait with radio silence

The Marchtrenk fire station continues to operate during exercises and operations while the allegations are being dealt with.

(Bild: Wenzel Markus/Markus Wenzel)

Where are around 150 receipts and who really paid for the 105,000 euro command vehicle? In contrast to the police, the mayor of Marchtrenk does not grant his fire department commander an extension to provide missing financial documents. Otherwise, communication is currently at a standstill.

"I currently have no contact with the commander," says Marchtrenk's SP mayor Paul Mahr when asked by "Krone" about the "fire department case". They say hello when they see each other, but nothing more. The city office is still waiting for the missing financial documents to check the balance sheets from previous years.

Grace period after flooding
An interim report by KPMG, the tax consultancy firm commissioned to audit the city's Florianijünger, stated that around 150 documents were missing. These must be provided by October 1, otherwise the command could be removed from office. The police fraud investigators had already requested these documents two weeks ago, but due to the flooding and in agreement with the city authorities, an extension has been granted until the internal investigation has been completed. In addition to the missing incoming and outgoing payments, it is also about a black Mercedes ordered internally by the fire department, which is not in the municipality's procurement plan and where it is unclear who paid for it and with what money, and who is using it.

We are sticking to our deadline of October 1 on the part of the city in order to receive all the documents we have requested. I currently have no personal contact with the commander.

Paul Mahr, Bürgermeister Marchtrenk

Chronology of participation
While the wait in Marchtrenk continues in radio silence, the provincial fire brigade command rejects the mayor's accusations that too little has been done to process everything. The "Krone" has a chronology of how the LFK has been involved in the "Marchtrenk case": On March 18 there was an "immediate reaction" to the statement of facts, on April 18 LFK representatives attended a meeting in Marchtrenk, then there were "attempts to contact the head of the town and the head of the office", on May 16 they sent comments, on July 18 they offered further help and on August 27 there was more correspondence. Legally, the command's hands are tied, as the municipality is responsible for financial matters.