FPÖ wants answers

Drexler’s blue light summit has political repercussions

FPÖ security spokesman Hannes Amesbauer and ÖVP state governor Christopher Drexler(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Christian Jauschowetz, Uta Rojsek-Wiedergut)

The controversial "blue light summit" of Styrian ÖVP state leader Christopher Drexler now also has political repercussions: FPÖ member of the National Council Hannes Amesbauer wants answers from Interior Minister Gerhard Karner.

There was excitement after the "Krone" revelation about an ÖVP campaign just four days before the national elections: The Weiz district organization diligently drummed up participants for a hastily convened "blue light summit" with state governor Christopher Drexler. The location of the afternoon event: St. Kathrein am Offenegg, where the annual black delegates' conference traditionally takes place.

High-ranking law enforcement officers from Drexler's home district of Weiz, who were invited by the ÖVP via the district police command, were also invited to "salute" at short notice. This "politicization of the police apparatus" annoyed the SPÖ.

Now there are also political repercussions in parliament: FPÖ security spokesman Hannes Amesbauer wants to reopen the "bizarre police case" with nine sensitive questions to Interior Minister Gerhard Karner.

The invitation to the event(Bild: ZVg)

"Were police officers released from duty?"
"Is it generally customary for police officers to be invited to party events via internal police distribution lists and for corresponding registrations to be collected within the police force?" the MP wants to know right at the beginning of the list of questions. Or: "Were people released from duty to attend the event?" and "Were there similar events in other districts in the run-up to the National Council elections?"

"The fact that ÖVP state governor Drexler is apparently misusing the police apparatus to invite people to black election campaign events is unacceptable," rages Amesbauer. "This cannot be allowed to stand!"