FPÖ Inquiry Committee on ÖVP, Corona, and Pilnacek Takes Shape

The parliamentary investigation committee that the FPÖ intends to establish for the Ministry of the Interior is taking shape. The Freedom Party continues to aim to shed light on alleged abuses of power by the ÖVP-led Ministry of the Interior. According to the request for establishment, parts of which are available to the APA, one of the evidence topics revolves around the investigations into the death of the former Justice Department head Christian Pilnacek. The other two are expected to connect to the Corona measures.

FPÖ Formulated Subject of Investigation

The subject of investigation is "the suspicion of improper or purely party-politically motivated influence by department heads, employees of their political offices, and (senior) employees of the Federal Chancellery (BKA), the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI), and the Federal Ministry of Justice (BMJ), by top administrative bodies, as well as by natural or legal persons associated with the ÖVP (...) on the fulfillment of tasks by the authorities subordinate to the mentioned departments, particularly on the organs of criminal justice and security authorities, as well as on independent media," according to the request.

One evidence topic in the blue investigation committee is the investigations by the Krems public prosecutor's office and the Lower Austria State Criminal Police Office into the cause of Pilnacek's death, as well as related proceedings by the Economic and Corruption Prosecutor's Office (WKStA). The FPÖ suspects abuse of office, suggesting that evidence may have been removed and investigation results falsified on orders, according to the draft request. The FPÖ also suspects "targeted criminal prosecution" of journalists.

Special Session in May

Two of the expected three evidence topics will instead revolve around the topic of Corona. During the pandemic, the police were "misused by the black Ministry of the Interior as an enforcement unit for partially unconstitutional legal norms," recently argued FPÖ General Secretary Christian Hafenecker. Additionally, the expectations of the Freedom Party's electorate to address this topic are high. For a long time, the Freedom Party even flirted with the idea of a separate investigation committee on this topic.

The request is to be submitted in a special session of the National Council requested by the FPÖ in May. The Freedom Party can initiate a parliamentary investigation committee on its own with its 57 members in the National Council. A corresponding minority decision requires the signatures of a quarter of the deputies, which is 46.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.