• croatiantimes.com
• romaniantimes.at
• salzburgtimes.at
• viennatimes.at
• austrianindependent.com

Today

• Vienna - Johnny\'s Pub Quiz
• Vienna - Unknown Underground
• Vienna - Cats
• Vienna - Andy Warhol
• Vienna - Laser Tag

05. 02. 10. - 15:00

• more Business news
• RSS Feed Business

05. 02. 10. - 15:00

'Bribery' lobbyist Mensdorff-Pouilly in London house arrest

An Austrian lobbyist accused of bribery was released on bail after being put in custody in London last Friday.

Britain’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) said last night (Thurs) that Burgenland-based Alfons Mensdorff-Pouilly was released in return for a 500,000 GBP (572,672 Euros) bail.

The anti-corruption body said that Mensdorff-Pouilly – suspected of being involved in bribery of political leaders in connection with the acquisition of jet fighters by Central and Eastern European countries – is under house arrest between midnight and 6am, adding he had been issued with electronic ankle tags.

Mensdorff-Pouilly – who owns estates in Austria and Scotland – also had to hand in his passport, it has been reported.

SEO said the next hearing in the case would take place next Wednesday.

Officials reportedly hope to make a decision over whether the husband of former People’s Party (ÖVP) Health Minister Maria Rauch-Kallat will be charged or not this month.

The authority said they cooperated with Austrian officials in arresting Mensdorff-Pouilly. Prosecutors in Vienna have been investigating his alleged malpractices for one and a half years.

Mensdorff-Pouilly’s lawyer Harald Schuster is expected to comment on the developments today. Schuster earlier this week said British investigators had sent a letter to him. The lawyer however refused to reveal its contents, saying he would not comment on the issue until today.

Mensdorff-Pouilly – who is not allowed to call himself a count or an aristocrat or make use of his aristocratic family line due to Austrian laws banning aristocratic titles after World War I – is accused of bribing government officials in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Austria between 2002 and 2008.

The 56-year-old – whose land owner father passed away earlier this year – is alleged to have made illegal payments of around 12 million Euros in return for contracts to deliver Gripen fighter jets produced by British defence company BAE Systems.

Austrian Times

Related articles: political scandals

1. Army pays 2,000 staff for being idle

   » General News 2012-05-23

   The pressure on Social Democratic (SPÖ) Defence and Sport Minister Norbert Darabos is increasing as a new Audit Office (RH) examination indicates a waste of taxpayers’ money by the army.

2. Foul-mouthed MPs might face fines

   » General News 2012-05-23

   Fritz Neugebauer has started another attempt to introduce a system of fees for abusive parliament delegates (MPs).

3. Teachers ready to fight contract reform

   » Education 2012-05-23

   Unionists are alarmed by news that the education ministry plans to make significant changes to teachers’ contracts.

more related articles tagged "political scandals"

Related articles: EU

1. Austrian economy recovers, says OECD

   » Business 2012-05-23

   The Austrian economy will manage to grow by nearly one per cent this year, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

2. AUA rules out Whitsun travel chaos

   » Business 2012-05-23

   The current conflict with the works committee does not negatively affect Austrian Airlines’ (AUA) booking figures, according to a spokesman.

3. Weak start for RWR Card

   » Business 2012-05-23

   People’s Party (ÖVP) Economy Minister Reinhold Mitterlehner has admitted difficulties in introducing the Red White Red Card (RWR Card, Rot-Weiß-Rot Card).

more related articles tagged "EU"

Related articles: business scandals

1. Petrol traders plan legal action

   » Business 2012-05-17

   The domestic mineral oil industry plans to sue the government about plans to set up a tool regulating fuel prices.

2. Sickness surge causes AUA cancellations

   » Business 2012-05-15

   Passengers are finally feeling the full impact of the emerging labour conflict at Austrian Airlines (AUA).

3. TA recovers as CEO rejects Pecik fears

   » Business 2012-05-11

   Telekom Austria (TA) is back in the black.

more related articles tagged "business scandals"

AUA rules out Whitsun travel chaos
The current conflict with the works committee does not negatively affect Austrian Airlines’ (AUA) booking figures, according to a spokesman.

Weak start for RWR Card
People’s Party (ÖVP) Economy Minister Reinhold Mitterlehner has admitted difficulties in introducing the Red White Red Card (RWR Card, Rot-Weiß-Rot Card).

Pröll outpaces friends and foes in capability check
Austria’s longest-serving governor has been identified as the most capable one in the opinion of citizens.

Foul-mouthed MPs might face fines
Fritz Neugebauer has started another attempt to introduce a system of fees for abusive parliament delegates (MPs).

Car sharers should get cheap U-Bahn tickets say greens
People who support the environment by signing up for car sharing initiatives to cut down inner city congestion should get subsidised public transport.

Film festivals in Vienna
There are two film festivals back to back in Vienna this May and June. The "Let's CEE Film Festival" shows films from Central and Eastern Europe, while the "Vienna Independent Shorts" focuses on short films.

Salzburg builds new prison
Salzburg is to get a new prison.

Postwoman killed by express train
An 32-year-old postwoman was killed instantly when she apparently failed to see a stop sign on a train track - and was hit by a 120 kph express train at the Grimmenstein sortage depot in the Lower Austrian region of Neunkirchen.

Dirty water caused by excrement
Health experts are struggling to find the source of excrement that has contaminated water supplies at the town of Köstendorf in Salzburg province.

Man Utd chase Austrian ace
Manchester United have signalised interest in David Alaba.

Jobs in Austria