Faction dispute

Dispute over around 200,000 euros, plus beer and champagne

The MFG parliamentary group office in the old town hall is currently a hotbed of controversy between the two councillors.

(Bild: © Harald Dostal / 2023)

What a theater! The main actors: the two Linz MFG local councillors Norbert Obermayr and Vera Schachner. He complains: "She doesn't discuss anything with me, doesn't want to work together." She, in turn, has now filed a complaint because Obermayr has blocked her access to the parliamentary group account. Justified from his point of view ...

Her seat neighbor Gerhard Obermayr had never joined - she, Vera Schachner, left at the end of 2022. However, due to a statute that makes a parliamentary group indissoluble, the two are known to be sitting on the municipal council for MFG until 2027.

A seat that is also remunerated with around 1500 euros per month plus subsidies. However, instead of being happy about the relatively princely salary, there is now a dispute about the big "cake". This is because the two receive just over 70,000 euros in taxpayers' money per year (just over 200,000 euros by the end of 2024) into their parliamentary group account, which they are supposed to use to finance their municipal council work.

"Obermayr sees it as his money"
Obermayr refuses Schachner access to the account, which is why she has now filed a complaint. "Norbert Obermayr sees it as his money and says that he can also use these funds for his professional work as an expert. I can't finance my work as a local councillor. Mr. Obermayr, on the other hand, takes what he needs. The use of this tax money is completely non-transparent. He must disclose his finances and release the taxpayers' money for council work. As Mr. Obermayr has so far not carried out any verifiable external municipal council work, I must assume that this is a criminal offence. I have now pressed charges. Of course, the presumption of innocence applies," Schachner says.

"She never provided any evidence"
The fronts have hardened. Norbert Obermayr said in response to a Krone inquiry: "Ms. Schachner has constantly transferred money to herself, always 500 euros, but has never provided any proof of this to date. However, the parliamentary group fridge is always well stocked with beer and champagne. If Ms Schachner continues to spread untruths, I will sue her for defamation." According to Schachner, the receipts are indeed in the till.