False statement?

Now fixed: immunity of FPÖ leader Kickl lifted

FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl is extradited from parliament. The WKStA may now investigate the Freedom Party leader for possible false testimony in the U Committee.

(Bild: APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH)

With the votes of the ÖVP, SPÖ, NEOS and the Greens, the National Council extradited four FPÖ members on Wednesday. After the immunity committee had already given its approval in the morning, the plenary also decided to lift the parliamentary immunity of party leader Herbert Kickl and MPs Martin Graf, Norbert Nemeth and Harald Stefan. The ball is now in the public prosecutor's court.

Specifically, there were two motions dealing with different allegations. Kickl is being targeted by the Public Prosecutor's Office for Economic Affairs and Corruption (WKStA).

The prosecuting authority wants to initiate investigations against Kickl and investigate the allegation that the Freedom Party leader made false statements in the investigative committee set up by the ÖVP on the "red-blue abuse of power" .

FPÖ furious about Kickl's extradition
The FPÖ was the only party to vote against the extraditions. In the case of Kickl, the blue party MP Christian Ragger emphasized: "Even the WKStA could not clearly recognize the political connection in Kickl's statement, but it was clarified accordingly. This request is due to the persecutory justice of the governing parties and is purely ideologically inspired."

Suspicion of re-activation
According to the Vienna public prosecutor's office, there is a suspicion of re-activation in the case of MPs Graf, Nemeth and Stefan. It concerns the participation of the Freedom Party MPs at the funeral of former FPÖ politician Walter Sucher. According to a "Standard" report, a song of allegiance to the National Socialist Schutzstaffel (SS) was sung there. According to the FPÖ, however, a version from 1814 was used, which is said to be historically untainted.