Election campaign skirmish

Hallein citizens’ list attacks mayor

In attack mode: Klaus Weickl (left) with Anna Gumpold, Felix Ganzer and Martin Hickmann from the Citizens' List.

(Bild: Nikolaus Klinger)

Shortly before the election, the new Hallein Citizens' List goes into confrontation with the mayor. He threatens to use his lawyer.

The election campaign in the otherwise politically loud town of Hallein has been suspiciously quiet and civilized so far. Just under two weeks before the election, the newly founded citizens' list is now forging ahead - and stepping up the pace.

Leading candidate Klaus Weickl is demanding a "guarantee declaration" from Mayor Alexander Stangassinger (SPÖ). What does he mean by that? "He should guarantee that no further political entanglements in construction projects can be expected," emphasizes Weickl. He is alluding to two incidents that the former head of Hallein and the ÖVP have reported to the public prosecutor's office. According to these reports, two property transactions in Oberhofgasse and Dürrnberg - as reported several times by the "Krone" newspaper - were allegedly not done properly. In the middle of both cases: SPÖ Member of Parliament Roland Meisl, a party colleague of the head of the city. "The presumption of innocence applies, but these abuses must be exposed. We need a real fresh start now," rumbles Weickl.

Mayor Alexander Stangassinger comments: "Unfortunately, it has become fashionable to discredit political rivals with criminal charges. The new Citizens' List, with Klaus Weickl as an ex-ÖVP member, is a rider on this ÖVP policy. But everything has its limits."

Cease-and-desist letter is already on its way
Stangassinger has contacted his lawyer. He is to send the Citizens' List a warning and a cease-and-desist letter.

Away from this dispute, the Hallein People's Party hosted a press event on Wednesday and presented its plans for the future of Hallein. In the event of an election victory, city deputy Katharina Seywald wants to "put what we have in common before what divides us."