City boss relieved

Liberation brought tears to the eyes

The mayor of Ried, Bernhard Zwielehner (right), can breathe a sigh of relief.(Bild: Pressefoto Scharinger © Daniel Scharinger)

Bernhard Zwielhener, the head of the town of Ried, was under enormous pressure. He was accused of misconduct in the investigation into the malversations at Energie Ried. The public prosecutor's office is investigating him and the deputy mayors. A report by the provincial court of auditors has now brought relief.

With emotion and tears in his eyes, the ÖVP mayor of Ried, Bernhard Zwielehner, presented the positive report from the provincial court of auditors. This made it clear that the general assembly of Energie Ried (with the head of the town and his deputies) had not made any grossly negligent or deliberately wrong decisions when dealing with the malversations at the municipal company. For example, in the appointment of the current managing director Friedrich Pöttinger or the donation from Energie to the Volkskundehaus.

Zwielehner was repeatedly accused of wrongdoing, and the family also suffered as a result. Now the mayor of Ried, who has been in office since 2021, can look forward to a stroke of liberation. The public prosecutor's office in Ried has also been investigating the case for over a year. Many in the Innviertel region are convinced that the investigation could soon be closed.