Graz FPÖ Financial Case - Starting Signal for First Trials

The Corruption-Free Municipal Council Club (KFG) has sued former FPÖ club leader Armin Sippel and former financial officer Matthias Eder. Both did not appear on Tuesday due to illness. On Wednesday, the FPÖ Styria had to appear as the defendant. On Friday, former FPÖ Deputy Mayor Mario Eustacchio appeared in person.

Sippel and Eder apologized due to illness

In the first of a total of four processes, which the KFG is conducting partly against its "predecessor club" and partly against the Republic of Austria, the case involves Sippel and Eder. They were supposed to appear at the civil regional court for the start of the trial on Tuesday but apologized at short notice due to illness. The KFG has sued the two for payment of approximately 20,800 euros. Both were responsible for the financial management of the FPÖ municipal council club in 2021. The KFG demands reimbursement of the costs for the financial audit of the FPÖ municipal council club for the year 2021, "which incurred significant additional costs due to the inadequate and questionable work of the two mentioned," according to the KFG.

Although the two former FPÖ officials did not appear in court, the legal representatives suggested a settlement. This is yet to be presented. However, KFG club chairman Alexis Pascuttini told the APA that a settlement would be difficult for him to accept, as it involves subsidies, i.e., taxpayers' money. The settlement would likely have to cover almost the entire claimed amount for it to be accepted.

On Wednesday, it was the FPÖ Styria that sent a legal representative as the defendant. In this case, the KFG has sued the state party FPÖ Styria for payment of nearly 20,700 euros. It concerns a conflict over the payment of several district-level party newspapers to inform about political work. According to the KFG, the state party did not cover part of the costs as agreed. Therefore, the KFG is now suing for the coverage of the costs. A settlement does not seem to be sought here. On the first day of the hearing, the KFG presented several of these newspapers in printed form - as evidence that they actually existed. Further dates are still pending in this case.

Eustacchio Came Personally with Lawyer

On Friday, it was about a payout: In this case, the KFG sued the former FPÖ Deputy Mayor Mario Eustacchio. He is said to have received around 25,000 euros from the FPÖ municipal council club just a few days before the financial scandal broke. A reason for the payout was not given, and there is also no resolution from the municipal councilors for it. Therefore, the payout was made without legal grounds, according to the KFG's accusation.

Eustacchio appeared personally with his lawyer on Friday. The documents presented by the KFG are "not conclusive" for them. Moreover, the KFG had not properly constituted itself and is therefore not the legitimate legal successor of the Graz FPÖ municipal council club. The judge indicated that he would indeed recognize the KFG. He also considered the case itself not very complicated. It merely needed to be clarified what the legal basis for the payout was at that time. The judge did not grant a request for adjournment from Eustacchio's lawyer, who did not want to negotiate this case for the time being due to the ongoing criminal investigations by the Klagenfurt public prosecutor's office in the same matter. Thus, a next hearing date in December was set for the examination of several witnesses.

KFG Sued Republic of Austria

On July 24, a fourth trial is also set to begin at the Regional Court for Civil Matters Graz: In this case, the KFG has sued the Republic of Austria for payment of nearly 12,000 euros. It concerns compensation claims by the KFG, "which are related to the inadequate investigations by the Klagenfurt public prosecutor's office in the criminal proceedings" against Eustacchio and others.

(APA/Red)

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