Mayor Tschann convicted: Political earthquake in Bludenz!

Mayor Tschann convicted: Political earthquake in Bludenz!

The Mayor of Bludenz Simon Tschann (ÖVP) was convicted by the Feldkirch Regional Court on Wednesday. He receives a conditional imprisonment of eleven months and has to pay a fine of 51,000 euros. The court decided that Tschann approved for a residential complex as the responsible building authority in 2021, although the legal requirements were not met. Tschann was visibly shaken and asserts his innocence while preparing for an appeal. He maintains that he wants to stay in office and plans to start again in the next elections on March 16, 2025, as Kleinezeitung.at

political reactions and the demands for resignation

The conviction ensures turmoil among the political parties. Critics demand Tschann's resignation, and the club chairman of the Greens, Daniel Zadra, emphasized that the verdict was so difficult that a withdrawal from politics was inevitable. Claudia Gamon from Neos expressed that the Bludenz citizens earn a mayor who adheres to laws. The SPÖ joined the demands, whereby the state parliament member Reinhold Einwallner also pushed for resignation. While some opposition representatives clearly positioned themselves, managers of the ÖVP and FPÖ were silent or demanded a detailed examination of the judgment. Veronika Marte von der ÖVP, however, supported Tschann and pleaded to wait until the appeal is decided, as vorarlberg.orf reported.

The legal possibilities for Tschann are open, but the prospects for basic changes are rather low. The Supreme Court is expected to check only formal legal errors, not the assessment of the first judgment. If the judgment imposed against him becomes final, Tschann would not automatically lose his office, but the demands for his resignation could not be louder.