Public prosecutor’s spokesman Hansjörg Mayr confirmed to the APA a report from the online edition of the “Tiroler Tageszeitung”. This had reported that the investigation concerns a procedure that the Ministry of Justice considers relevant to the ongoing COFAG-U committee in parliament.
According to the “TT”, the ministry issued a corresponding notification to the parliamentary groups in the U-Committee. The ministry is requesting a consultation process so that files on the case do not have to be delivered to the U-Committee until later. Spokesman Mayr confirmed a connection with the COFAG-U committee, but there was no further comment, citing the ongoing, non-public investigation.
According to the report, the current public prosecutor’s investigation is not regarding René Benko or the insolvent Signa. The spokesman for the prosecution also made no comment.
Millions saved in taxes
The opposition NEOS had previously zeroed in on Benko and targeted the relocation of Signa’s headquarters from Vienna to Innsbruck and the associated change in tax office in 2018. The pink National Council member Yannick Shetty, parliamentary group leader in the COFAG investigative committee, called on Finance Minister Magnus Brunner (ÖVP) to the APA to order an internal audit. By moving to Tyrol, Signa is said to have saved millions in taxes.
After the investigation became known, the NEOS politician felt vindicated and continued to establish a connection with Benko. He wrote on Twitter that criminal proceedings had now been initiated ” once morest the top Benko auditor” at the Innsbruck tax office. He told the APA that the NEOS suspicion “regarding unclean processes” at the Innsbruck tax office was now confirmed “A high-ranking tax official, together with three tax consultants, is said to have built a system of preferential treatment for certain favorites,” claimed Shetty. In any case, the U-Committee will “continue to work on clarification.”
The committee of inquiry into the Covid financing agency COFAG was set up by the SPÖ and FPÖ. The opposition is particularly interested in funding for so-called “billionaires”, such as Benko, who has already confirmed that he will appear on the U-Committee in April.
