New chance in April

Subcommittee: All respondents canceled

The committee of inquiry into the "red-blue abuse of power" was due to meet today, Thursday. However, all six invited respondents did not show up. This was a "declaration of democratic bankruptcy" and a "mockery of parliament", said ÖVP parliamentary group leader Andreas Hanger.

All those summoned come from the FPÖ environment. They include former Social Affairs Minister Beate Hartinger-Klein and Herbert Kickl's former head of cabinet, Reinhard Teufel. The leader of the parliamentary group in the Lower Austrian state parliament had originally agreed to attend on Wednesday, but was then excluded and then invited again. Now he no longer had time today, Thursday. However, the same people are to be invited again in the afternoon - on April 10 and 11.

Beate Hartinger-Klein(Bild: APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH)

Refused to testify
The behavior of former FPÖ Secretary General Peter Goldgruber, which was described as a "blue cover-up" and "bizarre", also caused criticism from the ÖVP and the Greens on Thursday. He had generally refused to testify on Wednesday, arguing that the U-Committee was possibly unconstitutional. Instead, Goldgruber read out a statement lasting around 20 minutes. It is possible that the Constitutional Court (VfGH) will now have to deal with the question of constitutionality. The FPÖ and SPÖ had previously appealed to the court, but were rebuffed with their request. The court did not consider itself authorized to do so.

The ÖVP now wants to gather further evidence, for example about Teufel's company car, which, according to Hanger, he should not have been entitled to as head of cabinet. It is to be investigated whether Kickl's former confidant used it for private journeys. In addition, the FPÖ's "closeness to Russia" will be investigated in April.