COFAG-U Committee

Finance official: no deliberate “overfunding”

(Bild: APA/Philip Stotter)

Alfred Lejsek, an official in the Ministry of Finance who sits on the COFAG Supervisory Board, also testified at the COFAG Committee of Inquiry on Thursday. He emphasized that "overpromotion" of companies that ultimately made high profits was not intentional. He denied political intervention.

Lejsek was asked how the Covid financing agency had come about. The usual funding institutions were not prepared for the difficult situation. No one had offered to help, and working from home had caused additional difficulties.

Lejsek was unable to say whether party affiliation had played a role in the appointment of COFAG's management. With regard to the criticized lack of group consideration in the subsidies - described in a letter as "the mother of all misunderstandings" - the respondent said that the issue had been dealt with and expert opinions had been obtained. This would first have to be repaired, as a result of which there would probably be additional claims.

"No political intervention perceived"
Lejsek emphasized that the fact that some companies that received coronavirus funding ultimately made high profits was not intentional: "Criteria have been defined", for example for defaults and losses. "Guidelines were applied and paid out." He was also not aware of any political interventions. Lejsek's questioning - he had been summoned by the ÖVP - lasted around two hours.

Yannick Shetty from the NEOS had previously spoken of a "completely unnecessary day of questioning". He would rather talk to the FPÖ about an espionage committee, he said before the questioning. There was no fear of contact, he explained.

The favorite topic in the COFAG-U committee on Thursday, however, was still René Benko, who has now agreed to appear on 22 May. "I don't think he'll actually come until he's here," said Nina Tomaselli from the Greens, still somewhat skeptical.

FPÖ man sees overpromotion at Signa
The ÖVP would also agree to a presentation by Benko, said Turkish MP Corinna Scharzenberger. Wolfgang Zanger from the Freedom Party still believes that Benko's Signa is overfunded. The SPÖ parliamentary group leader Jan Krainer also believes that a billion euros should actually be demanded from the companies due to the lack of group consideration.