His former head of cabinet, Bernhard Bonelli, received six months conditionally. Both have already announced an appeal once morest the verdict.
Kurz was convicted in the first instance on one of the original three charges. This concerned his statements regarding the composition of supervisory boards in the state holding company ÖBAG. According to Judge Michael Radasztics’ verdict, the ex-chancellor gave the impression that he essentially had nothing to do with it. However, witness statements in the evidentiary proceedings would have contradicted this.
Acquittal in a similar case
Kurz, however, was acquitted in a similar case regarding the appointment of Thomas Schmid to the board. The court saw no contradictions here. Nor is there an agreement between Schmid and the former Freedom liaison in the coalition negotiations between the ÖVP and FPÖ, Arnold Schiefer. Bonelli’s conviction also affected the supervisory board appointments alone.
The Code of Criminal Procedure stipulates that all crimes and misdemeanors that are punishable by a prison sentence of more than one and a maximum of five years (including false evidence) are decided by a single judge. Appeals regarding invalidity, guilt and punishment then go to the higher higher regional court (OLG) – in this case a three-judge panel at the Vienna Higher Regional Court.
The WKStA did not take such a step, said a spokesman for the prosecution in response to an APA request. Kurz’s defense attorney Otto Dietrich and Bonelli’s defense attorney Werner Suppan, however, announced at the end of the trial that they would file an appeal due to the invalidity of the guilt and punishment. In several interviews, the ex-chancellor described the verdict once morest him as unfair.
