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08. 02. 10. - 16:00

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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

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