Contradiction in testimony

The Wöginger Case: Key Witness Schmid Under Fire

Contradictions are said to have arisen in statements regarding the Wöginger case—pictured is key witness Thomas Schmid.(Bild: FOTOKERSCHI / FLORIAN REISINGER)

The patronage scandal trial surrounding ÖVP parliamentary group leader August Wöginger first turned into a judicial farce—but is now increasingly becoming a political thriller. According to the latest testimony, there are contradictions in the statements of the key witness, Thomas Schmid. This could have implications not only for this case but also for other high-profile cases.

On Friday, the job-trading trial against August Wöginger enters its next phase. Further witness testimonies are eagerly awaited, as they are expected to shed more light on this notoriously complex case. However, attention is also focused on the statements made by key witness Thomas Schmid and those of other witnesses. As expected, Schmid has made serious allegations against ÖVP parliamentary group leader August Wöginger—but has also entangled himself in contradictions. What exactly is at stake?

Schmid’s “reconstructed memories”
In addition to the events surrounding the appointment of the head of the Braunau Schärding tax office in 2016—which are being clarified in the ongoing trial—the leadership of the Freistadt-Rohrbach-Urfahr tax office had been filled approximately two months earlier. During his interrogation as a defendant before the Public Prosecutor’s Office for Economic Affairs and Corruption in 2022, Schmid stated regarding his role in the appointment of the head of the Freistadt-Rohrbach-Urfahr tax office that he had only reconstructed memories of the events there. A statement that Schmid similarly reiterated during the currently ongoing trial in Linz.

Instructions to the section chief
And a version of events that several key officials from the tax administration have contradicted in their court testimony. The officials’ statements even explicitly mention instructions from Schmid. The key witness, who was, as is well known, Secretary General at the Ministry of Finance at the time, is said to have instructed “his” section chief to persuade the highest-ranked candidate to withdraw.

Explosive: The contradictions are also documented in several live-ticker entries—before live-ticking was then banned on the most recent day of the trial. “So how credible are Mr. Schmid’s statements?” many interested observers are asking themselves. The fact is: Should Schmid be stripped of his status as a key witness, this would quickly have repercussions for many other high-profile cases...