This is what Stocker says regarding Wöginger
ÖVP leader Christian Stocker would stand by club chairman August Wöginger even in the event of a first-instance conviction in the Braunau tax office case. In the "profil" interview, the chancellor stated that even then, his support for Wöginger would not change. Stocker cannot imagine that the club chairman will be convicted anyway.
Should it come to that, Wöginger could hope for the support of his party chairman: "The process of Sebastian Kurz in particular shows that one should be cautious in the case of an indictment and even a first-instance conviction," said Stocker, who also defended covering the legal costs of the former chancellor: "It is evident how easily top politicians can be subjected to proceedings because there are increasingly more politically motivated charges."
Indictment against Wöginger
Wöginger is accused of having intervened with the former chief of staff of the Ministry of Finance, Thomas Schmid, for the appointment of an Upper Austrian ÖVP mayor as head of the tax office for Braunau, Ried, and Schärding. He is thus accused of being an instigator of abuse of authority. Wöginger consistently emphasizes that he never influenced the independent decision-making commission.
The case has now also impacted the civil service apparatus. Disciplinary actions have been initiated against two senior officials of the Ministry of Finance.
(APA/Red)
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