• 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

© SPÖ

08. 02. 10. - 16:00

• more Business news
• RSS Feed Business

08. 02. 10. - 16:00

New investigation calls as BAE lobbyist walks free

Political leaders in Austria have called for a new investigation into alleged bribery involving an aristocrat lobbyist after British justice authorities dropped all charges against him.

Alfons Mensdorff-Pouilly returned to Austria last night (Sun) after British arms company BAE Systems struck a deal with UK and US authorities over alleged bribery and corruption in defence contract procurements.

Mensdorff-Pouilly was taken into custody on 29 January in London after speaking to investigators at Britain’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO).

The anti-corruption body was investigating the 56-year-old over allegations he had made illegal payments of around 12 million Euros in return for contracts to deliver Gripen fighter jets produced by BAE Systems he had lobbied for between 2002 and 2008.

It emerged last Friday that British anti-corruption officials dropped all charges against Mensdorff-Pouilly – just a day after he had paid 500,000 GBP (572,672 Euros) bail.

BAE Systems meanwhile agreed to pay around 320 million Euros to the UK and US authorities after admitting to criminal charges in response to long-standing corruption allegations in both countries.

The deal means that Mensdorff-Pouilly – who is not allowed to call himself a count or an aristocrat or making use of his aristocratic family tree due to Austrian law which banned aristocratic titles after World War I – was able to walk free and will not have to testify in a British court.

But now politicians in Austria have appealed to Viennese prosecutors to look into the case again.

Social Democratic (SPÖ) Chancellor Werner Faymann said justice officials "must clarify all corruption allegations against Mensdorff-Pouilly" since people had a right to know the truth.

SPÖ Defence Minister Norbert Darabos branded BAE Systems’ settlement with authorities in America and in Britain a "sale of indulgences".

Greens MP Peter Pilz said: "The redemption of Mensdorff-Pouilly is a scandal."

The opposition Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ) also called for investigations against Mensdorff-Pouilly. who is the husband of former People’s Party (ÖVP) Health Minister Maria Rauch-Kallat, to be re-launched.

Mensdorff-Pouilly, who owns estates in Austria and Scotland, meanwhile said he now wanted to prove his innocence in Austria too.

"I haven’t done anything wrong," he said today, adding he would liaise with his lawyer Harald Schuster to work with the Austrian authorities.

Asked for more details about his plans, Mensdorff-Pouilly said: "We are focusing on cooperating with Austrian officials and not on doing media work."

Austrian criminal law Helmut Fuchs meanwhile said the exact wording of the SFO’s decision must be checked to find out whether investigations could continue in Austria or if Viennese prosecutors must drop all charges.

Fuchs stressed paragraph 54 in the Schengen Agreement says someone who faced investigations of the same crime by two EU member states could only be sentenced or acquitted once.

Vienna state prosecution spokesman Gerhard Jarosch said they had to wait for British colleagues to send them the written statement.

Last April, Mensdorff-Pouilly made headlines when he praised staff and food in prison in a TV interview held at a posh society get-together in Vienna.

Speaking on ATV’s "Hi Society" programme at an event at awarded "Steirereck" restaurant, he revealed he had lost ten kilos in the five weeks he spent in custody, but praised the food he was served behind bars.

He said wardens were the "most correct people", adding that he was treated "humanly" by them.

Mensdorff-Pouilly revealed: "Sometimes I stood in front of the mirror saying to myself: ‘Ali, you’re in jail – accept it!’"

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