Grasser begins prison: Justice finally strikes!

Grasser begins prison: Justice finally strikes!

Innsbruck, Österreich - Ex-finance minister Karl-Heinz Grasser started his prison sentence in the Innsbruck prison on June 2, 2025. Grasser was sentenced to a four -year prison sentence in the Buwog causa. After receiving the criminal record at the beginning of May, he had a month to appear in the responsible judiciary. Shortly after noon, Grasser, who has been living with his family in Kitzbühel for years, arrived.

The Buwog affair is an important political scandal that concerns possible unfaithfulness and illegal agreements in connection with the privatization of 60,000 federal apartments. According to the Green politician Gabriela Moser, the Republic of Austria has missed up to one billion euros. The affair came to light in September 2009 when conspicuous commission payments were discovered in investigations into the bankruptcy of Constantia Privatbank. In March 2025, a total of eight defendants, including Grasser, were sentenced to prison for prison; The decisions are now final.

criminal proceedings and judgment

Grasser was charged with abuse of the authority and violation of the official secrecy. The investigation showed that he passed insider information about the procurement procedure to the bidder Immofinanz, which made a profit of 1.2 billion euros through the purchase of the Buwog. Grasser also had a vacation trip on the Seychelles from his accomplice Walter Meischberger in 2004.

As part of the process that started on December 12, 2017, Grasser was spoken and received an initially measured imprisonment of eight years. This was reduced to four years by the Supreme Court on March 25, 2025, while others also received prison terms such as Meischberger and Peter Hochegger who have not yet started. Meischberger and Hochegger had applied for detention.

political consequences and public perception

The Buwog affair is not the only political scandal that is currently burdening Austria. The Styrian FPÖ is exposed to another financial scandal, which deals with possible infidelity in connection with club funding. It is assumed that these funds have flowed into the pockets of politicians, which is surprised by students in the garden of a restaurant behind the Graz opera.

The persistent allegations and scandals raise the question of the extent to which corruption in Austrian politics really has consequences. Political scandals, such as the Buwog affair, often do not seem to have any sustainable changes in their sharpness and scope. The public discussion about the integrity and responsibility of politicians remains a central topic in Austrian society.

For Grasser and other convicted politicians, the judge spoken is now a final judgment that indicates the independent rule of law that does not keep up with former ministerial posts. The BUWOG affair remains a decisive chapter in the political history of the country.

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