Created on April 01, 2022 | 13:37
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The head of the Vorarlberg Economic Association resigns.
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WHAT/STIPLOVSEK DIETMAR
As a result of the affair surrounding the business of the Vorarlberg Economic Association, Economic Chamber President and Economic Association Director Hans Peter Metzler and the much-criticized Economic Association Director Jürgen Kessler announced their resignation on Friday. “In order to return to objectivity and to draw attention to the challenges necessary for the business location,” one assumes political responsibility, it said in a broadcast.
The media reports on the tax treatment of the Vorarlberger Wirtschaftsbund “led to a number of irritations and there is room for speculation and misinterpretations in the public”. The longstanding tax advisor to the Vorarlberger Wirtschaftsbund has consistently taken the view that the activities of the Wirtschaftsbund should be subsumed under the usual party activities and therefore no sales tax or corporation tax should be paid. “If the tax authority deviates from this assessment, the Vorarlberger Wirtschaftsbund will of course take this into account following the tax audit procedure has been completed,” said Metzler and Kessler.
They also denied that they had not behaved in accordance with the association law. In accordance with the statutes, general assemblies were held at regular intervals, decisions were made there, the officials and employees were relieved and the association authorities were informed. “As a sub-organization of the Vorarlberg People’s Party, we support the party in terms of content and finances. In this context, we would like to clearly emphasize that the Vorarlberger Wirtschaftsbund has complied with the legal regulations, especially with all financial support provided to the state party to date,” said Metzler and Kessler further.
Metzler will also resign from his position as President of the Vorarlberg Chamber of Commerce and ensure an orderly handover.