Relief for SPÖ

Public prosecutor pulls out of Vösendorf election campaign

The investigation into allegedly inflated bills during the SPÖ's reign was dropped.(Bild: zVg, Krone KREATIV)

What's going on in Vösendorf? More and more citizens are asking themselves this question. After all, they are to elect a new municipal council in less than a month. And that with constant anonymous reports and statements of facts. However, the SPÖ is now off the hook for the time being.

As reported, Mayor Hannes Koza had "his" ÖVP parliamentary group resign following allegations of falsified invoices. However, the proceedings against the mayor were dropped after a diversion. The public prosecutor has now dropped the investigations against SPÖ mandataries without any settlement. In both cases - the opaque contracts relating to the parliamentary party room in the town hall and the allegedly inflated invoices for the Christmas lights - Deputy Mayor Alfred Strohmayer and local councillor Wolfgang Gratzer do not even have to appear before the judge.

SPÖ Deputy Mayor Alfed Strohmayer (right) is relieved that he is no longer under investigation. Party manager Wolfgang Zwander makes the next accusations against the ÖVP mayor.(Bild: SPÖ NÖ)

Proceedings against SPÖ municipal councillor adjourned
However, proceedings against the latter were indeed held at the district court in Mödling on Thursday: The electrician, who was also involved in the "Christmas tree affair" in his day job, is said to have collected large advance payments far too shortly before the insolvency of his company. There will be no verdict before the election, the proceedings have been postponed until May 13.

At the same time, however, the SPÖ is immediately accusing the next scandal: Koza's wife is said to have submitted bogus invoices to the municipality for around 9000 euros. The castle landlady had provided the municipality with "gastronomic advice".