Austrian Ambassador Recalled After Allegations
"The ambassador requested his recall on Monday for personal reasons. This was accepted by Federal Minister Meinl-Reisinger," said the Foreign Ministry regarding the recall of the Austrian ambassador.
Foreign Ministry: Allegations Against Austrian Ambassador Were "Immediately Reviewed"
According to the Foreign Ministry, department head Beate Meinl-Reisinger (NEOS) learned of the allegations against the diplomat on Saturday. The case was "immediately reviewed" in the ministry, it was further stated. It is unclear whether there will be disciplinary consequences for the diplomat. He is now supposed to work at the headquarters in Vienna. The affair became known through a report by the news site "Fass ohne Boden". It reported on blog entries by the person, written from the perspective of a woman named "Caro". These are consistently explicit depictions of sexual assaults and rapes. The woman repeatedly describes how she and other women are at the mercy of men.
The opposition FPÖ, meanwhile, demanded further consequences in the affair. The matter is not settled with the recall of the official, wrote foreign policy spokeswoman Susanne Fürst (FPÖ) in a statement. "The man is not a 'small cog in the wheel', but has been active in central functions for decades - for example, as head of cabinet in the Federal Chancellery and in the Foreign Ministry. He is a significant figure within the ÖVP family. The public therefore deserves full clarification," said Fürst. It needs to be clarified whether the official's "activities" also used the Republic's infrastructure and whether they took place during his service time. "We expect answers to all these questions from NEOS Foreign Minister Meinl-Reisinger," said Fürst. The deputy of FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl also expressed "outrage" that someone who referred to women as "meat" in his posts could come into the most powerful jobs in the country.
(APA/Red)
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