French investor takes over Anton-Proksch-Institut: A controversial deal

French investor takes over Anton-Proksch-Institut: A controversial deal

In a significant step, the Anton-Proksch-Institut in Liesing has a new majority owner: the French financial investor Pai will be entering the affiliated company, which currently holds 40 percent of the shares in the institute specializing in addiction aid. The announcement of this takeover has already caused turmoil, in particular on the part of the unions and the SPÖ, which have vehemently protested against the deal.

The sale of 60 percent of the shares that are currently still with the VAMED takes place despite the violent criticism. The city of Vienna and the responsible union gave their consent, although many employees of the institute are concerned and some even consider changing their workplace. The VAMED CEO Harald Steer expressed in the ORF “lunchtime journal” that the workforce is shaken by the developments and that the mood in the house is tense.

critical voices for the deal

The resistance to the entry of the PAI at VAMED is loud. The Burgenland SPÖ club director Roland Fürst, who is sitting in the Foundation's board of trustees, described the deal as a "blood trace" that pull the large corporations through Europe while buying important care facilities. The unions fear that profit struts will be provided on the needs of patients and employees. "Most employees are shocked," said Steer, and the feeling of uncertainty has spread among the employees.

The VAMED itself not only sold the shares in the rehabilitation clinic in the course of the restructuring, but also changed the corporate structure. The area of ​​rehabilitation clinics was transferred to a new company where PAI holds 70 percent and Fresenius 30 percent. As a result, several locations could not be sold without further ado, since the public sector can take advantage of the right of first refusal.

position of the foundation