Sebastian Kurz: Court decides on calling in the Ibiza scandal!

Sebastian Kurz: Court decides on calling in the Ibiza scandal!

On Monday, May 26, 2025, former Chancellor Sebastian Kurz is back on trial. The Higher Regional Court (OLG) Vienna will examine Kurz and his ex-cabinet chief Bernhard Bonelli against his conviction for false statements in the Ibiza investigation committee. This reports vienna.at .

in February 2024 was sentenced to eight months of imprisonment, while Bonelli received a prison sentence of six months. Both accused did not accept the first instance judgment and appealed an appeal. The guilty verdict refers to the false information that is said to have briefly made in the U-Committee in relation to the order of supervisory board of the Austrian Federal and Industrial Participants AG (ÖBAG), but was acquitted with regard to the occupation of the ÖBAG board by Thomas Schmid.

expectations before the OLG

The negotiation on Monday is scheduled for about three hours and witnesses were not loaded. Media representatives had to accredit themselves in advance because a large rush is expected. The course of the negotiation stipulates that a speaker explains the initial judgment, followed by the arguments of the defenders, the economic and corruption prosecutor (WKStA) and the accused. The decision of the Dreiersenat can confirm the judgments or change the sentence, whereby a new judgment would be legally binding, so orf.at .

The economic and corruption prosecutor has accepted the first instance decisions, while shortly any deliberate false statements. Interestingly, the long appeal process, which lasted nine months, had to do with the defense's admissions.

context and meaning of the affair

When you look at the background, the Ibiza scandal reveals a variety of political affairs in Austria that have made headlines in recent years. The scandal, which was triggered by a explosive video, led to extensive investigations, which also included suspicions on election manipulation and illegal assignment. Thomas Schmid, the former Secretary General in the ÖVP-led Ministry of Finance, heavily burdened Kurz and others, but also received key witness status. This information comes from the report of Kurier.at .

The political landscape in Austria has been shaped by scandals, corruption and cover -ups since the second republic. Walter Geyer, the first anti -corruption attorney, emphasizes that such scandals often lead to tightened laws, but no law can completely eliminate corruption.

Current cases such as the advertisement affair of the ÖVP show that the investigation is far from complete. Allegations indicate that tax funds have been used for surveys and media placements. The processing of these political affairs remains a challenge, both for the judiciary and for politics in Austria.