The timing might hardly have been better: Just as the Cofag investigative committee was questioning two high-ranking tax officials regarding possible tax breaks for Rene Benko, the news came in that the Tyrolean real estate investor had filed for personal bankruptcy.
More on the subject: Why Rene Benko is filing for bankruptcy now [OÖNplus]
In the U-committee, the retired board member of a Vienna tax office first reported on the “hasty” relocation of the Signa headquarters from the federal capital to Innsbruck in 2018. The possible background: Signa had previously sold the “Golden Quarter” to Luxembourg for 141 million euros. Two weeks later, the city center property changed hands for 195 million euros. Vienna Finanz wanted to tax a profit of 50 million euros, while their colleagues in Innsbruck were content with 36 million. The witness might not understand why this was the case.
The second witness, a large company auditor, reported on the Signa private jet. 18 million euros in losses were claimed for the aircraft. Because these had been claimed, the taxpayer had “so far co-financed this plane to the tune of nine million euros”. The private jet has now been classified as a hobby. After a new check, a repayment of four million euros is open for the aircraft. When there were questions regarding individual exams, they always came from “the twins,” reported the official, who did not want to talk regarding interventions. This meant ex-Finance Secretary General Thomas Schmid and Eduard Müller, once head of the section and now head of the Financial Market Authority (FMA). The faction leaders of the SPÖ and FPÖ, Jan Krainer and Christian Hafenecker, then called for Müller’s resignation.
At the end, Cofag managing director Marc Schimpel spoke of the “crazy” pressure of expectations that had weighed on his agency, which is part of the finance department. They accepted 1.5 million applications for Corona aid payments and tried to pay out the money quickly. As of the end of January 2024, the volume of reclaims amounted to 134 million euros, of which 77 million had already been paid back. Schimpel was unable to provide any information regarding funding that went to Signa companies.
The Cofag committee is now taking a break. To this end, the surveys in the U-committee set up by the ÖVP on the “red-blue abuse of power” will start next Wednesday. (luc)
Author
Lucian Mayringer
Internal politics editor
Lucian Mayringer
