Causa Wirtschaftsbund

After guilty verdicts: Need for action identified

The lawyers of the four defendants in the Wirtschaftsbund trial.

(Bild: Dorn Chantall)

After the convictions in the Vorarlberger Wirtschaftsbund case, Neos, the Greens and the SPÖ are calling for more control rights. But the VP remains stubborn.

When four former VP grandees - namely the former state governor Karlheinz Rüdisser (ÖVP) and the three ex-Wirtschaftsbund executives Hans Peter Metzler, Jürgen Kessler and Walter Natter - are sentenced to fines for accepting benefits in order to influence or giving benefits in order to influence, then that is quite something. Even though the sentences are not yet legally binding and Judge Theo Rümmele emphasized at the sentencing hearing that he was not accusing any of those involved of malicious intent, alarm bells are ringing among the opposition parties.

The first-instance conviction of the former provincial governor speaks a clear language: the ÖVP is obviously unable to recognize the boundary between clean politics and abuse of power.

Eva Hammerer, Kontrollsprecherin Grüne

For the Greens, SPÖ and Neos, the first-instance verdict makes one thing clear above all: the need for a political reappraisal of the Wirtschaftsbund case, combined with an expansion of control rights. "After this scandal, the ÖVP can no longer block an expansion of control rights without forfeiting its ultimate legitimacy and the trust of the population," stated Eva Hammerer (Greens).

For decades, the VP has thrown all of today's compliance rules and, in the end, morality and decency overboard. People were convinced that these rules did not apply to the People's Party.

Claudia Gamon, Landessprecherin Neos

A very similar message came from the pink and red party headquarters: "It is time for the Vorarlberg state parliament to deal with a thorough investigation into this affair. In addition to the criminal investigation by the judiciary, a political investigation is needed," demanded SPÖ spokesman Reinhold Einwallner. And for Neos state spokesperson Claudia Gamon it is also clear: "Parliament needs comprehensive control rights!"

"Have other priorities"
The Vorarlberg state parliament voted on this very expansion of control rights on Wednesday. As expected, the joint opposition proposal was defeated with the votes of the ÖVP and FPÖ. VP parliamentary group leader Veronika Marte had already announced in advance that there were currently "other priorities" than a reform of the U-committee.