Million dollar deal: OIG and Schultz find peace after years of dispute!

Million dollar deal: OIG and Schultz find peace after years of dispute!

On April 17, 2025, the lengthy dispute over the shares of Osttiroler Investment GmbH (OIG) in the Kalser Bergbahn was settled. Loud Dolomite town The Schultz Group and the OIG agreed on a purchase price, which, however, was not published. The dispute, which can be traced back to 2015, was sparked by a planned “silent grant” of six million euros from the OIG to the Schultz Group.

The OIG, which manages profits from toll revenues on the Felbertauern, is part of Felbertauern AG and the state of Tyrol. In 2008, the company invested six million euros in the Kals-Matrei ski area, thereby acquiring 25.1 percent of the company's shares. This direct participation was seen as a real breach of taboo, as the toll revenue was originally earmarked for loans to small and medium-sized companies.

The course of the legal dispute

In the summer of 2018, OIG withdrew from Kalser Bergbahnen and handed over its quarter share to the Schultz Group. The price for this departure was initially kept secret and was later linked to four euros, which led to a storm of indignation, particularly from the opposition Fritz List. Markus Sint, a member of this list, made numerous inquiries to the state government on this topic.

In 2021, the state government admitted its responsibility in dealing with taxpayers' money. An arbitration expert came to the conclusion that the realistic assignment price should be between 2.5 million and 5.7 million euros. However, the Schultz group did not respond to this estimate and the case ended up in court. In May 2022, the OIG announced that it would sue Schultz for payment of 5.7 million euros for the shares. Although the matter was resolved by mutual agreement, the amount of the purchase price remains unknown.

Criticism and demands for transparency

The lack of clarity about the purchase price caused a stir in East Tyrol. Markus Sint criticized the lack of transparency and called for more detailed information about the agreement reached to be published.

According to a unanimous decision by the OIG Supervisory Board, the step to clarify the assignment price before legal authorities was deemed necessary. It is the OIG's aim to ensure that the transfer of the shares was carried out fairly and comprehensibly, which also fueled the lawsuits over 5.7 million euros. This case has reignited the discussion about the handling of public money in the region ( Small newspaper, ORF Tyrol ).