Nature restoration: Austrian conservatives charge Gewessler for abuse of office

5 months ago 12

The Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP/EPP) is seeking to file criminal charges against Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler for abuse of office following her vote in favour of the controversial nature restoration law in the EU Council on Monday (17 June).

Gewessler, the green environment minister in Austria’s coalition government, voted in favour of the EU’s controversial nature restoration law – seeing the law adopted by a narrow margin – on Monday (17 June).

Following that, her conservative ÖVP (EPP) government partners will file charges against her, citing abuse of office.

“The People’s Party has filed a criminal lawsuit against Environment Minister Gewessler for abuse of office,” Christian Stocker, ÖVP secretary-general, said in a statement on Monday.

Abuse of office is a key charge in Austrian corruption law and carries a term of six months to five years, extended to 10 years when the inflicted damage exceeds €50,000.

According to the legal interpretation by the ÖVP and the Chancellery’s constitutional service, Gewessler was not legally empowered to vote in favour of the nature restoration law.

She is “not entitled to commit the Republic of Austria,” Chancellor Karl Nehammer told the Belgian EU Council presidency in a letter before the vote.

Austria’s public prosecutors must now decide whether to take up the case and seek a judgement before the courts.

The case is politically sensitive ahead of the country’s national elections slated for 29 September – after five years of a conservative-green government coalition.

[Edited by Zoran Radosavljevic]