Austrian leader vows to stay despite corruption allegations

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BERLIN Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz denies wrongdoing and vows to remain the country’s leader after anti-corruption prosecutors say he is under investigation as part of an investigation into suspicion of corruption . However, her coalition partner said on Thursday that the allegations left a “dire” impression and raised questions about the Chancellor’s “ability to act”.

Prosecutors said on Wednesday they were investigating Kurz and nine others, as well as three organizations they did not identify on suspicion of breach of trust and corruption. They carried out searches of the Chancellery, the Ministry of Finance and the offices of the conservative Austrian People’s Party in Kurz.

The case centers on allegations that finance ministry money was used between 2016 and at least 2018 to pay for manipulated polls that were published in a newspaper without being declared as advertising. Kurz became party leader and then Chancellor in 2017 after serving as Austrian Foreign Minister.

In another case, the 35-year-old chancellor was investigated in May by anti-corruption authorities on suspicion of making false statements to a parliamentary committee, an allegation he also dismissed.

Kurz dismissed responsibility in the latter case in an interview Wednesday night with public television ORF.

“There is absolutely no indication that I have directed what advertisements or polls have been commissioned from the finance ministry,” he said. He said the text messages from him did not contain any instructions or requests, “and at the same time, prosecutors have put forward the theory that everything is run by Kurz.”

The chancellor said he was “very calm” about the accusations.

“What I don’t understand is why I’m still supposed to be responsible for all wrongdoing,” he added. “Let’s examine if these accusations against the employees of the Ministry of Finance are true. With the best will in the world, I can’t imagine it.”

When asked if he would remain Chancellor given the investigations against him, Kurz replied, “Yes, of course.”

The Greens, junior partners of Kurz’s coalition since his return to power for a second term in early 2020, were much less relaxed. Vice-Chancellor Werner Kogler, who also heads the Greens, tweeted that “the impression is disastrous” and that the allegations need to be clarified in depth.

“The Chancellor’s ability to act is called into question in this context,” Kogler added. “We must ensure stability and order.”

He said the Greens are proposing talks with all other parties in the Austrian parliament to discuss how to proceed, and are also planning a meeting with President Alexander Van der Bellen.

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