A chat between him and the Secretary General of his ministry, which is available to the APA, shows that there was a desire from Russia for such an exchange of ideas. At least an appointment was planned. According to the FPÖ, during her time in government there were only normal relations with Russia.
The chats come from file requests for the committee of inquiry into the “red-blue abuse of power”. “Russia” is requesting an exchange of ideas with young officials in Austria, wrote Strache in April 2019, “something must be possible here through the administrative academy.” The former general secretary in the vice chancellor’s office, Roland Weinert, then replied that he had made a call and: “Preparations are being made. We will meet.”
“Friendship treaty” with Putin’s party
As is well known, the FPÖ signed a “friendship agreement” with Vladimir Putin’s “United Russia” party on December 19, 2016. According to the Freedom Party, this has now been canceled. The FPÖ did not want to comment on the chats. In any case, while the party was in the federal government, there were only “the usual relationships within the framework of the government” between it and Russia, as the Freedom Party said in response to an APA query. For example, the contract between OMV and Gazprom was extended in the presence of Russian President Putin and the then Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP).
In 2019, the EU sanctions imposed against Moscow as a result of the annexation of Crimea in 2014 already applied. Relations between Austria and Russia were nevertheless considered to be extremely good, as shown by several high-level bilateral meetings. In the FPÖ’s “friendship agreement” with the Putin party, joint consultations and exchange of information were agreed, including on the situation in the Russian Federation and the Republic of Austria, but also the exchange of experiences, for example in the area of party building or organizational work.
Contact has “actively developed”
It was also decided that party delegations at various levels should exchange ideas on a “regular basis”, expert meetings should be organized and contacts should be “actively developed” at the regional level. However, it was also stipulated that the agreement has “no legally binding character”. As can be seen from the agreement, it runs until one of the two sides terminates the agreement in writing.
The Green parliamentary group leader in the U-committee on the “red-blue abuse of power” Meri Disoski announced on to want. Corresponding applications for evidence have already been accepted. The new information would put FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl in “need to explain,” she said: “What did he know about all this? Does he stick to his statement that the contract had no impact? Does he continue to refuse to disclose the contract?”
