Schellhorn deactivated private Instagram account

State Secretary Josef Schellhorn (NEOS) has recently faced multiple criticisms. First, there was a company car affair, then a Nazi comparison, and finally a video in which he promotes the media project "Jetzt". Despite the criticism, Schellhorn sees no reason to resign and stated to ORF Salzburg that he has nothing to reproach himself with in terms of content.

Schellhorn's Instagram Account Incompatible with Government Activity

The State Secretariat stated in response to an APA inquiry: "The channel is the private social media channel of Sepp Schellhorn. It was taken offline within the deadline of the incompatibility laws on June 4th." Since his inauguration, Schellhorn has been focusing "entirely on his role as State Secretary for Debureaucratization and Deregulation, Foreign Art and Culture, as well as Foreign Trade." The account that Schellhorn officially operates as a politician remains online.

Meanwhile, the FPÖ is demanding "clarification" regarding the deleted accounts - in addition to Instagram, also YouTube. Secretary General Michael Schnedlitz suspects possible violations of the professional ban for government members: "Did he continue to wield the cooking spoon in the kitchen as State Secretary or even post evidence videos of it himself?" he asks in a statement. He demands from the NEOS a disclosure of which "promotional videos" were made when Schellhorn was already State Secretary, and "whether this also led indirectly to a possible financial advantage for him or a company attributable to him." Schnedlitz, like "all of Austria," is waiting for Schellhorn's departure: "Schellhorn should have resigned from his position as State Secretary instead of his social media channels."

(APA/Red)

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