Vorarlberg’s governor Markus Wallner will have to answer questions in the ÖVP corruption investigation committee. Ex-Wirtschaftsbund director Jürgen Kessler and the executive chairman of the Vorarlberger Wirtschaftsbund, Karlheinz Rüdisser, were also invited to Vienna.
Governor Markus Wallner has certainly had happier business trips to the federal capital: SPÖ, NEOS and FPÖ have invited him to the ÖVP corruption investigation committee in the National Council, where he will have to face critical questions about the Causa Vorarlberger Wirtschaftsbund. In the coming weeks, the U-Committee should generally receive a strong “country touch”, in addition to Wallner, Jürgen Kessler and Karlheinz Rüdisser will also have to comment on the allegations of hidden party financing, dubious advertisement constructs and tax evasion. Tightening of compliance rules meanwhile ÖVP Economic Association boss Harald Mahrer, who is also President of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce, commented at least indirectly on the affair in Vorarlberg. Although he still had to get a “final picture” before he could pass judgment, he was of the opinion that a public body should not advertise in parliamentary group media. On Wednesday, the extended executive committee of the Chamber of Commerce decided on stricter compliance rules. From now on, for example, “no advertisements and advertising placements in electronic media and in print media and no subsidies for printing costs” are permitted “if the media owners are political parties or electoral groups that are candidates for the primary elections in the Economic Chamber organization”. According to Mahrer, the decision should also serve as a model for other public institutions.
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