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Eurofighter Committee U: Rumpold denied illegal cash flow
VIENNA. The announcer and former FPÖ Federal Director General, Gernot Rumpold, was Thursday after Walter Seledec, the second witness of the Eurofighter Committee U.
Gernot Rumpold Image: (APA / HERBERT PFARRHOFER)
It was about 6.5 million euros he had received from 2002 to 2003 by the aircraft manufacturer for a campaign. It was a "very good salary". The money was pbaded on to the decision makers, he concluded vehemently.
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Rumpold, who had already fought the cash paid to BZÖ or FPÖ at the first Eurofighter U Committee in 2007, also said eleven years later. It excludes "100%" as the money has been transferred to politicians, officials or parties. The 6.5 million euros have never been used for party purposes, and certainly not for the FPÖ: "I was at that time with the party in the clinch. nothing came from me. " Everything in the accounting proves where the money went.
Once again, he also defended the well-known press conference fee of an amount of 96,000 euros. Rumpold explained that "with the money, among other things," all the technology "and equipment such as lecterns were purchased:" This has wandered through the states, "he said. about the amount of fees, "of course, this is justified". Otherwise, the amount would not have been paid. In addition, hand-blown Riedel wine glbades were purchased as "gifts" for decision makers.
Faced with allegations that Eurofighter had reservations about "illegal financing of political parties", but that he needed public relations to be able to pay for his "work", Rumpold was not informed. He also did not wish to have any information on how the EADS lobbyist, Erhard Steininger, had met him and his company of seven people "100% Communications".
Mushroom: "lied to grain and thread"
According to a meeting held in January 2002 in which the former head of the FPÖ, Jörg Haider, the former Finance Minister, Karl-Heinz Grbader, and the former secretary general of the FPÖ, Peter Sichrovsky, secretly supported the Eurofighters and recommended Rumpold to the campaign. he did not want to know. For Peter Pilz ("Now", formerly List Mushroom) and Michael Bernhard of NEOS, the corresponding confidential document from the ranks of the aircraft manufacturer was the real novelty of this day of study. This is proof that FPÖ political leaders "lied to Austria and misled it," Pilz said at the poll's conclusion.
A personal influence on the eve of the decision of the interceptor type on the members of the FPÖ government, still directed towards Saab Gripen, also denied Rumpold. Addressed to various relevant meetings, he denied going there.
Next time, the Eurofighter U Committee will meet at 10 am on 4 December. Only one respondent, MEP Michael Radasztics, was questioned by MEPs.
Walter Seledec
Seledec denies any influence
The Eurofighter investigation commission said Thursday that it had no influence on the reports of the ORF. Walter Seledec, former editor-in-chief of the district general council and the FPÖ, was invited. He denied this and said that he did not know anyone who could have done it. "I never took any fees except what I received from the ORF."
Seledec, himself a militia brigadier, was questioned in the U committee about a concept of deliberate influence on the design of the ORF program in order to create a positive climate for Eurofighter. When asked about this concept, the former editor declared that he "totally ignored" it, that he had neither written nor able to tell who the l & # 39; had created. Although production subsidies have been granted by the companies, Eurofighter does not know it. Eurofighter has announced and paid for it: "This is not a friendly service."
According to Seledec, the ORF has reviewed all of its Eurofighter reports and concluded that there was no reason to complain. This was also communicated to APA in October 2017 by the media company. In addition, the examination of computers gave no indication of abuse of position, the informant emphasized.
Faced with allegedly successful lobbying work for Eurofighter with Gerhard Draxler, then director of information for the ORF, Seledec has been thrown into his own hands in the breach. He knew nothing about it, "but I put my hand in the fire, that it is not good". Seledec did not remember meeting the lobbyist Alfred Plattner in 2004.
The invitations to various fairs, in turn, were innumerable, but these missions were approved and paid for by the ORF. At the very end of the investigation, another exchange of views took place with the judge of the proceedings during a specific trip to the ILA aviation exhibition in Berlin. Seledec did not want to respond to the multiple request if it was paid by the ORF or EADS. "I guess the ORF," he ends up saying, that was the rule. Seledec was also unable to postulate that EADS lobbyist, Erhard Steininger, would have put a million euros at the disposal of public relations with the ORF.
video: The commission of inquiry for the acquisition of Eurofighters continues at the National Council. The parliamentarians are again investigating the allegation that ineligible payments were made when the Eurofighter was purchased.
The decision of the black and blue Eurofighter government had surprised him anyway, even though he had taken over the purchase of the Gripen. He refused private contacts with members of the evaluation commission. Seledec, however, decided to know all the brigadiers of the army, if he was one. On the type of decision that he "unfortunately" did not influence, Seledec said "cynical" because he believes that the media coverage of many political affairs was broken: "At the expense of the Republic" . It is now also "curious" to know what decision the new federal government will make regarding interceptors. When asked if he had personally benefited from the purchase, he said: "I have benefited from the fact that as a citizen, I am happy that we have them." .
Seledec called the "bad decision" the agreement negotiated by the Minister of Defense, Norbert Darabos (SPÖ), which he regretted. Although he enjoyed Darabos, he had apparently acted under pressure from his party: "He made a Ferrari a three-wheeled beetle.It is a monstrosity to the detriment of the Republic." " Seledec: "I'm afraid for Austria's security policy."
When asked why the lobbyist was so focused on him, he referred to his political home, which made it the "only goal". "I was the only GOLD in the information department to have ever heard of the Freedom Party," Seledec said. "If I were on the other side, I would choose myself". By the way, Seledec, as a confidant, had presented to the committee the former Minister of Justice of the FPÖ, of short duration, Michael Krüger.
video: Jörg Hofer (ORF) reports from the Eurofighter Committee U:
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