The People’s Party sees six points as false statements, as parliamentary group leader Andreas Hanger (ÖVP) explained on Friday. When asked, he admitted that the ÖVP itself had criticized such reports in the past. Unlike the former ÖVP Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, who was convicted in the first instance, he sees “incredible substance” in Kickl’s case.
It concerns statements made by Kickl in the investigative committee in April, which was solely supported by the ÖVP. There, the FP leader and former interior minister denied any connection or involvement with the company “signs” during his time as minister, as well as any business relationship and (co-)ownership of the associated property.
Video: Statement by Andreas Hanger (ÖVP)
“Significantly stronger factual basis” than Kurz
For Hanger, these were all false statements, as were the statement about the non-relationship of the former FPÖ MP Hans Jörg Jenewein with the Ministry of the Interior, about meetings insinuated by Kickl between Federal Police Director Michael Takacs and the fugitive ex-Wirecard manager Jan Marsalek, and that Kickl did not take care of advertisements in the Ministry of the Interior.
“I would like to summarize that we have seen a large number of false statements, which we are reporting today,” said Hanger, presenting a 19-page statement of facts to the Vienna public prosecutor’s office. The latter must now take action. The ÖVP representative expects that the FPÖ will agree to any application for official prosecution of Kickl.
Summer story time
In the end, independent courts would have to decide whether or not there was a false statement. Hanger said that he himself saw a “significantly stronger factual basis” than in Kurz’s case, without mentioning his name. The former ÖVP leader was sentenced to eight months’ suspended imprisonment in the first instance for giving false statements before the Ibiza U-Committee.
In a press release, FPÖ General Secretary Christian Hafenecker spoke of baseless and clearly refuted accusations. He identified a summer fairy tale hour that the “trembling ÖVP panic barometer” proves. NEOS parliamentary group leader Yannick Shetty spoke of a “new mudslinging”.
