Wolfgang Schüssel

Schüssel sat on the board of Russian oil company Lukoil. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, his position at the company drew strong criticism before he announced his departure.

State of the evidence

Board position, criticism and resignation documented

Legal status — source text

No personal judicial proceedings

Attribution

Personal responsibility for accepting and subsequently ending a board position

Before the Hypo Alpe-Adria committee of inquiry, a former FMA official stated that he had warned Schüssel in 2006 of serious problems at the bank. Schüssel said he could not recall such an alarming warning and described the meeting as a more general discussion.

State of the evidence

Conflicting testimony before the parliamentary committee of inquiry documented

Legal status — source text

No personal criminal conviction of Schüssel established

Attribution

Disputed political responsibility; differing recollections and interpretations

As several affairs involving Telekom Austria and former officials from his political camp emerged, Schüssel resigned his parliamentary seat. His opponents called on him to accept political responsibility for a system of governance under which several scandals had flourished.

State of the evidence

Resignation and political debate about scandals associated with his government's era documented

Legal status — source text

No personal criminal conviction of Schüssel established in this event

Attribution

Political responsibility acknowledged or disputed, without attribution of third parties' criminal acts

Schüssel was criticised for taking early retirement with a substantial pension while remaining an MP, despite having championed reforms intended to delay retirement and reduce certain benefits.

State of the evidence

Retirement and pension level widely reported

Legal status — source text

Lawful situation; no judicial proceedings identified

Attribution

Personal decision regarding his pension entitlements

The Schüssel government decided to purchase Eurofighter aircraft, a contract that became one of the most controversial public procurement matters in modern Austria. A parliamentary committee of inquiry examined the selection process, lobbying and political responsibilities.

State of the evidence

Purchase and parliamentary committee proceedings documented

Legal status — source text

Parliamentary scrutiny; no personal conviction of Schüssel established in this event

Attribution

Political responsibility as Chancellor at the time of the Eurofighter selection

The sale of federal housing assets grouped within BUWOG subsequently became the focus of a major affair involving commissions, privileged information and corruption surrounding the privatisation process. The decision to sell was taken by the Schüssel government, but criminal allegations mainly targeted other officials and intermediaries.

State of the evidence

Privatisation and subsequent judicial controversies concerning the process documented

Legal status — source text

Convictions and proceedings concerned other participants; no personal criminal conviction of Schüssel attributed here

Attribution

Political responsibility as Chancellor of the government that conducted the privatisation

The Schüssel government launched a pension reform providing, among other measures, for effectively delaying retirement and reducing benefits. The proposal triggered Austria's largest strikes in decades.

State of the evidence

Reform, trade union mobilisation and government concessions documented

Legal status — source text

No personal judicial proceedings

Attribution

Political responsibility as Chancellor