Grasser in prison: a century scandal of corruption!

Grasser in prison: a century scandal of corruption!

The turbulent story about Karl-Heinz Grasser, once the radiant finance minister of the black and blue government under Wolfgang Schüssel, is still a topic that heats the mind. Ultimately, his conviction for corruption is only the tip of the iceberg, which has built up for years. According to Kleine Zeitung after his conviction did not show any regulation or insight, which further fueled the public debate about corruption in Austria.

The Grasser case started with a random find during the investigation into counterfeiting in the immofinance in 2008 when Lehman Brothers worked. This bankruptcy led to the bankruptcy of the Immofinanz and opened the transfer of 9.6 million euros to a mailbox company in Cyprus. This money was then transferred to three accounts in Liechtenstein.

from the political height air to prison

in 2000 Grasser took over the office of finance minister and almost alone approved the privatization of around 60,000 federal apartments, which were finally sold to a consortium. A fair bidding process? Certainly not, because insider knowledge played a crucial role here. It is estimated that the Republic could have escaped up to one billion euros through this deal. Grasser is accused of not only disclosing insider knowledge, but also having recorded information himself. Since his conviction in 2020, he has been in the "Ziegelstadl" detention center in Innsbruck and could leave prison in autumn 2023, provided the new law on anks.

Grasser is now the third ex-minister who has had to go to prison since 1945. Franz Olah and Ernst Strasser were the other two, who, however, showed significantly more regrets. Grasser, on the other hand, remains unimpressed by the consequences of his actions.

A look back: The chronology of the Grasser process

• 4. February 2000: Karl-Heinz Grasser becomes finance minister.
• 15. June 2004: Sales of the federal apartments to an Austro consortium for 961 million euros.
• 2009: media report on dubious payments of 9.6 million euros.
• 4. December 2020: Grasser is sentenced to eight years in prison.
• 20. March 2025: Start of the appeal procedure in front of the Supreme Court.

like OE24 in detail, the Grasser case followed numerous investigations and negotiations over the years. From the first surveys to house searches to the legal force of the indictment, the procedure has developed into a permanent favorite, which not only puts the actors themselves, but also the entire rule of law in Austria.

not only the Grasser process raises questions; Undetent corridors are also emerging in other political circles, such as the FPÖ in Styria. Here, leading FPÖ politicians are investigated for possible infidelity in connection with club funding. The media are increasingly reporting allegations that the Graz students do not leave in their guest gardens. They are informed, but many young people do not know what exactly is behind it, such as

Corruption seems to be omnipresent in Austria, and the action of the judiciary often looks like a drop on the hot stone. Grasser and his advocates are accusations to this day and assert their innocence. With every new scandal, however, the discussion about the integrity of the political system becomes volume. Mobilizes the entire country to bring grievances to the public?