Austrian prosecutors announced Friday that they have charged former Chancellor Sebastian Kurz with giving false evidence while testifying before a parliamentary committee. In a statement, the Central Public Prosecutor’s Office for the Prosecution of Economic Criminal Matters said that Kurz, along with Magistrate Bernhard Bonelli “and one other person were charged at the Vienna Regional Criminal Court for the offense of giving false evidence.”
The office accused Kurz and Bonelli of giving false testimony before an investigative committee examining corruption allegations against the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) following the “Ibiza affair.” The scandal emerged after two politicians from the FPÖ were caught on camera offering the exchange of government contracts for the purchase of the Austrian tabloid Kronen Zeitung, as the politicians sought positive coverage.
Prosecutors said that Kurz and Bonelli violated § 288 of Austria’s criminal code when they gave false testimony concerning state-owned holding company ÖBAG “and the composition of [its] board of directors.” Kurz was accused of being involved in political ally Thomas Schmid’s appointment as head of the company. Text messages between the two showed Kurz telling Schmid he would “everything [he] want[s].”
The third person charged, who is unnamed, “is accused of having made false statements both before the investigative committee of the National Council as a person providing information and during his interrogation as a witness … regarding the appointment of a member of the Casinos Austria AG board.”
The penalty for the alleged offense is up to three years imprisonment.
The charges come after prosecutors announced an investigation against Kurz and eight other suspects on suspicion of breach of trust, corruption and bribery.
Kurz responded by posting on the platform X, formerly known as Twitter, saying, “The accusations are false and we look forward to the truth finally coming to light and the accusations proving to be unfounded in court.” He has since accused prosecutors of misinterpreting his statements.
Kurz served twice as the chancellor of Austria, initially from December 2017 to May 2019 and then a second time from January 2020 to October 2021. He also served as Chairman of the FPÖ from 2017–2021 and Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2013–2017.
