Grasser: Starting only in June - what does that mean for Austria?

Grasser: Starting only in June - what does that mean for Austria?

Innsbruck, Österreich - The ex-finance minister Karl-Heinz Grasser is right before the start of his custody after the Supreme Court (OGH) confirmed the judgment in the Buwog Causa on March 25, 2025. Grasser was sentenced to four years in prison for infidelity, while his accomplice Walter Meischberger received a penalty of 3.5 years. Together with PR entrepreneur Peter Hochegger, who received a partial penalty of three years due to his confession, you have manipulated the bidding process when selling Buwog apartments to the Immofinanz and appearing around 10 million euros of commission. The written judgment of the judgment to the Vienna Regional Court is still pending and delays due to the extensive case, which includes more than 10,000 pages. With a transmission of the judgment, "at the end of April or early May" is expected, which Grasser grants a period of four weeks for his in prison. Therefore, this could only take place in June, so reports OE24

Grasser, who still claims his innocence, could probably be detained in the "brick stadium" in Innsbruck if he stayed in Kitzbühel. The judicial directorate will decide on the final place of detention. A possible postponement, incapacity for prison for health reasons or even a free purchase are discussed among lawyers, even if these options are anything but safe. In addition, Grasser and other convicts of around 13 million euros demand in compensation, which is another complication, since a previous reparation could have been considered to be admission of guilt. Kleine Zeitung reports that after around a year imprisonment, Grasser could apply for a booth.

criticism of the judiciary and corruption

The Grasser case is part of a larger context of political corruption in Austria, as the Kreutner report impressively describes. After the widespread “Ibiza affair” from May 2019, this report officially documented the serious institutional weaknesses in the country's judicial system. Political instructions and the influence of outside on the judiciary have led to a worrying increase in no confidence. Ex-judicial officer Christian Pilnacek expressed concerns about existing pressure in criminal investigations in chat messages and was found dead on the banks of the Danube under mysterious circumstances. Such incidents raise serious questions about the integrity of the judicial system and support the demands for reforms and the creation of an independent Attorney General, such as "https://verfektlog.de/kreutner-bericht-korruption-oesterreich/"> Constitutional blog

The discussion about reforms on the separation of justice and politics is increasingly urgent to ensure the independence of the judiciary in Austria. The Kreutner report criticizes the still unpaid € 13 million, which are required by Grasser and the other convicts, as part of a crumbling credibility of the political institutions and the judiciary.