After the execution of house searches and the discovery of evidence concerning the newspapers “Heute” and “Krone”, the investigating Economic and Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (WKStA) has taken further action, broadcaster Ö1 and newspaper Der Standard have reported. 

Specifically, requests for legal assistance have been sent to the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Justice, asking that they provide all data, files, and correspondence pertaining related to advertising and marketing. These requests cover the period from 2015 to 2022 and apply to all media. 

BACKGROUND: Austria’s Sebastian Kurz implicated by former ally in corruption scandal

Following remarks and statements made by former Secretary General of the Ministry of Finance, Thomas Schmid, investigations into allegations of bribery and corruption have been reignited, as The Local reported. Schmid has reportedly sought the status of state witness in the case, prompting some under investigation to accuse him of providing false information to gain personal advantages.

The Ministry of Finance has been requested to promptly provide all electronic files, including emails, of the public relations department responsible for allocating advertisements during the eight years, particularly during the coalitions with the FPÖ and the Greens under the leadership of former Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) Chancellor Sebastian Kurz. 

This request encompasses not only data related to “Heute”, “Kronen Zeitung”, and “Österreich” but also includes all of the ministry’s advertising spending, which increased exponentially between 2016 and 2018.

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As reported by Der Standard, the Economic and Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (WKStA) has requested information on all advertisements, not just those related to “Heute”, “Kronen Zeitung”, and “Österreich”, from the Ministry of Finance. This is because the WKStA itself found incriminating transactions, rather than the ministry’s internal audit department. The scope of the investigation has, therefore, also expanded to other media outlets. 

The WKStA aims to gain a comprehensive overview of the ministry’s practices in awarding paid publications to identify any suspicious patterns.