Large construction cartel

Styrians have brought the first million-euro lawsuit

Construction companies are said to have colluded for 15 years.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Stock Adobe Jan Becke)

For 15 years there was collusion between several companies in the Austrian construction industry, the damage to the public sector is enormous. In Styria, they (finally) want more precise data, and the first million-euro lawsuit has already been filed.

It is the largest known cartel in Austria to date: from 2002 to 2017, numerous large construction companies are alleged to have colluded on contracts. After years of investigations, the Federal Competition Authority cracked down and has already imposed fines of 192 million euros.

The main victims are the public sector, i.e. the provinces and municipalities - including in Styria, of course. Now the province seems to be getting to the bottom of the matter. The constitutional service is conducting an internal investigation into which construction projects could have caused which damage - a long list of possible projects is available to the "Krone".

Lawsuit for almost two million euros
The office of Governor Mario Kunasek (FPÖ) is also drawing on "expert support". Which makes you sit up and take notice: A lawsuit has already been filed against a (unnamed) construction company. It is for exactly 1,914,197.50 euros plus interest, according to Kunasek's office.

Lambert Schönleitner from the Green Party has been pushing for more transparency and decisive action for years: "Every euro that has flowed out of the public purse through illegal agreements must be recovered. We demand detailed disclosure of the projects that affect the province of Styria and the Styrian municipalities."

Waste cartel as the next task
The Upper Styrian MP has now put new questions to Kunasek, his deputy Manuela Khom (ÖVP) and Provincial Councillor Stefan Hermann (FPÖ); answers must be provided within two months. With the recently uncovered waste cartel, the next big case is already waiting to be dealt with.