Dr. Erwin Pröll Private Foundation

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Governor of Lower Austria a. D. Erwin Pröll

The Dr. Erwin Pröll Private Foundation was a non-profit foundation set up by the then Governor of Lower Austria, Erwin Pröll , which existed from 2007 to 2018. It came under fire in 2017 when it became known that the Lower Austrian provincial government had provided more than one million euros in state funding for the foundation from its establishment until 2016, of which € 300,000 had already been transferred and the remainder was available on demand in the state's accounts. The public excitement coincided with the resignation of the governor. After a critical report by the Lower Austrian State Audit Office, the grants were repaid and the foundation dissolved.

Establishment and foundation assets

In 2006 Erwin Pröll celebrated his 60th birthday. On this occasion, he received 150,000 euros in small amounts, which he donated to a private foundation in November 2007 , the purpose of which the foundation stated was to support projects that “maintain cultural traditions” or “further develop rural areas as a space for creativity”. The foundation is based in Pröll's place of residence, in Radlbrunn , but the delivery address is his office address in the Landhaus in St. Pölten . In addition to the founder, the Raiffeisen board member Erwin Hameseder and Johannes Coreth (former head of Niederösterreichische Versicherung ) also serve on the foundation board.

In addition, since it was set up, the responsible financial officers, initially Wolfgang Sobotka , then Johanna Mikl-Leitner , provided the foundation with € 150,000 annually from funds from the State of Lower Austria - most recently at the end of December 2016 - so that the accumulated foundation assets in January 2017 1.35 Million euros minus the 115,000 euros. Except for one case in which the FPÖ voted against the award, always with the votes of all parties represented in the state government ( ÖVP , SPÖ , FPÖ). The opposition, the State Audit Office and the public were not informed about the funding. 300,000 euros had already been transferred to the foundation, the rest was parked in state accounts and could be accessed by the foundation at any time.

activities

Depending on the source, € 115,000 or the entire € 150,000 originally contributed to the foundation was spent by the end of 2016.

Among other things, the following were funded:

  • an "almost blind harmonica player" (7,000 €)
  • a women's integration project in Bad Vöslau (€ 6,000)
  • a senior citizens' initiative in Rappottenstein (€ 300)
  • an integrative choir from the Weinviertel that sings with physically handicapped people. (€ 10,000)
  • two half-orphans from the industrial district, who received musical instruments and a musical education after the death of their father (€ 10,000)
  • and undisclosed sums for a Catholic youth group and a village renewal association in the Waldviertel.

Request 2009

After an initial report in the Viennese weekly newspaper Falter , the Green Member of Parliament, Helga Krismer-Huber , who is not represented in the state government, sent a request to Pröll in 2009 in which she sought information about the foundation. Her inquiries were completely rejected by Pröll "for reasons of data protection", as it was a private foundation and she therefore had no right to information. Only the address in the country house was justified to enable citizens to contact more easily, although no information was given about the ways in which funding can be obtained from the foundation.

Falter report 2017

In December 2016, Falter editor-in-chief Florian Klenk researched that in addition to the fortune received through donations, a million state money flowed into the foundation and thus triggered a series of media reports in domestic and foreign media as well as violent reactions from the ÖVP-Lower Austria. While Erwin Pröll did not comment, the ÖVP repeatedly claimed that it was " fake news ", that it was a "warmed up story" and that Falter wanted to create a scandal where none was. The Court of Auditors announced on January 16, 2017 that it would audit the foundation. On January 17, 2017, Pröll announced his resignation as governor, but denied any connection with the media excitement surrounding the foundation.

Reviews

The conduct of the foundation was subsequently examined by the state's own state audit office and found to be in order, whereby the examination was expanded to include other state subsidies. The Business and Corruption Prosecutor's Office did not initiate any proceedings after review.

Criticism of the foundation and the reports about it

The media coverage can be grouped into two different subject areas. Firstly, the question of whether there is any news value, and secondly, which political and ethical questions make the funding a scandal.

Criticism of the reporting by members of the ÖVP

At first Pröll himself only took an indirect position when it came to a withdrawal that was still rumored at the time: “In any case, this decision - one way or another - in no way has anything to do with the absurd story surrounding the foundation.” By Bernhard Ebner , the regional managing director of ÖVP Lower Austria, Klenk's research was immediately referred to as “ fake news ”, an accusation that the incumbent Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka (ÖVP) repeated a little later. In press releases and on Twitter , Ebner further alleged that Klenk was running a “Sudel campaign”, exhibiting “scandalizing neuroticism”, accused the Falter editor-in-chief of lying, because “the story [is] not new and known to everyone”, and claimed , whose seminars on investigative journalism at the APA campus would give “tips on reporting suspicions, character assassination and scandalization”. Pröll's spokesman Ernst Kirchweger expressed himself similarly, who also wrote that Klenk had "terrorized" the people involved with inquiries just to bring a cover story to which there was no substance. Vice Chancellor Reinhold Mitterlehner (ÖVP) located “artificial excitement”, after all, all processes would be transparent. The last person responsible for the last funding, Pröll's designated successor, Johanna Mikl-Leitner, said that the foundation had been “known for years. It serves a charitable purpose. "

In the reactions from the representatives of the ÖVP, the fact that the foundation itself was well known was not mentioned, but its funding of 1.35 million euros in public money by the state government has not yet been mentioned. Accordingly, Lukas Sustala criticized the tone of the ÖVP's campaign on NZZ Austria : “What Florian Klenk delivered was journalism, researched, checked, investigative. One may have differences of opinion on one or the other interpretation. ”But that does not justify obscuring the rights of the public through personal attacks. Similarly, Reinhard Göweil in the Wiener Zeitung . Günter Traxler spoke of “dirty campaigning” on the part of the ÖVP. The journalists' union described the attacks on Klenk as "outrageous and damaging to democracy [...]". On March 29, 2017, Klenk, represented by Alfred J. Noll , announced that he had filed a lawsuit against Ebner and the Lower Austria People's Party for “damage to reputation”. On July 14, 2017, the ÖVP Lower Austria and Bernhard Ebner withdrew the allegations after an out-of-court settlement and each paid € 7,500. Klenk announced that he would donate the € 15,000 to a charitable cause.

Statement by Pröll

On March 27, 2017 Erwin Pröll gave a “farewell interview” on the news program ZIB 2 , of which nine minutes were broadcast due to lack of time and the full length can be viewed online. (Der Kurier and nzz.at published full length transcripts.) Half of the interview was conducted by the outgoing governor and the moderator Armin Wolf about the foundation. In this, Pröll justifies himself that “this state foundation has done nothing more or less than private money that was allocated to me on the basis of my 60th birthday […] has been made available for social purposes.” When asked why the Funding had been kept secret, said Pröll: "This is complete stupidity [...] Every euro that is decided by the government can be read in the budget of the state of Lower Austria." Because of the governor's visible anger about the interview, the interview was also discussed several times in the press in the following days. Georg Renner listed false or distorting allegations in the interview.

Criticism of the foundation

The following questions were raised in the various articles, including by Falter, nzz.at, Standard, the Süddeutsche and Die Presse und Profil as well as by the Greens and other critics:

  • Who are the donors of the 150,000 originally collected on the occasion of Pröll's 60th birthday? Why did the governor find it unproblematic to accept such a large sum?
  • Why was the plan to set up an “academy for rural areas in which young people are taught the values ​​of rural areas”, never made public?
  • Why is there no transparency about the use of tax money?
  • Why is the governor allowed to distribute tax money privately?
  • Why wasn't it problematic that the money was not spent but saved?
  • Why is the item hidden in the budget?
  • Why does the country not give the money directly for charitable purposes, but opts for a private foundation?
  • Is the state compensation too generous if such sums can be shifted to foundations without clear use?
  • Why are the Lower Austrian media silent or headlines, like the Kurier , "the foundation just has to 'still develop'"?

Ex-Auditor General Franz Fiedler has called for an audit of the Pröll private foundation, which is sponsored with public money, and criticizes the lack of transparency: The foundation is constructed in such a way that public money flows into a private foundation, in which the founder, the foundation board and the boss of the grantor is one and the same person (Erwin Pröll). On the part of the state, it was replied that “all funding was processed correctly and transparently” in accordance with the funding guidelines of the state of Lower Austria.

Political research by the Green Party

Of the parties in Lower Austria, only the Greens who are not represented in the proportional government are making efforts, first in 2009 and subsequently also in 2017, to clarify political responsibility. They criticized the fact that the funding is not listed in any document from the state of Lower Austria, while otherwise small sums are understandable and announced that they would involve the public prosecutor's office for business and corruption . The six votes necessary for a treatment in the state parliament (they themselves have four) could not be achieved because the clubs of the ÖVP, SPÖ, FPÖ refused to discuss the foundation.

In response to questions from the state parliament member Helga Krismer-Huber to the members of the government in January 2017, they consistently replied that the foundation did not fall within their area of ​​responsibility. Only Pröll responded with more than a one-liner. In it, he assigns responsibility for funding to his government colleagues. This tautology was the theme of Klenk im Falter.

Sharp criticism from the audit office and dissolution of the foundation

The Lower Austrian State Audit Office not only examined the foundation, but also examined the funding practice in general. In spite of this, massive criticism of the foundation was expressed in a report: “that the funding was handled within the framework of the private sector administration, that the procedure deviated from the general guidelines for funding of the state of Lower Austria, without this being expressly stated in the government resolutions could not support any funding law and was fraught with conflicts of interests ”. The foundation, which had already announced before the report was published, that it would repay the funded money to the state because the foundation's goals would not be achievable, did not do this voluntarily, as it turned out, contrary to its own statements, but was from the competent authority of the state been asked. In October 2018, the foundation was reported as dissolved. The grants were returned, and what happened to the original foundation assets from monetary gifts was not discussed.

Trivia

The Lower Austrian State Academy , which (presumably) had a similar portfolio of tasks to the foundation's planned academy, was dissolved by a resolution of June 16, 2016 on January 1, 2017 and instead a private foundation was set up in the form of a "think tank for the future challenges of the state" .

supporting documents

  1. ↑ a b Regionalmedien Austria: Facts about Dr. Erwin Pröll Private Foundation: Twelve questions and twelve answers . In: mein district.at . ( mein district.at [accessed January 15, 2017]).
  2. ↑ STANDARD Verlagsgesellschaft mbH: Landesrechnungshof: Sharp criticism of the Pröll private foundation . In: derStandard.at . ( derstandard.at [accessed on July 16, 2017]).
  3. ↑ a b landtag-noe.at (PDF).
  4. ↑ a b Facts about Dr. Erwin Pröll Private Foundation: Twelve questions and twelve answers. Retrieved January 17, 2017 .
  5. ↑ a b c Florian Klenk : Secret thing Pröll . In: Falter . No. 1–2 , 2017 ( cms.falter.at [accessed January 24, 2017] Paywall).
  6. ↑ Answer to the inquiry by Erwin Pröll. (PDF) November 2009, accessed January 17, 2017 .
  7. ^ Der Standard: Court of Auditors will examine Pröll-Privatstiftung . In: derStandard.at . ( derstandard.at [accessed on January 16, 2017]).
  8. ↑ Erwin Pröll resigns in March . In: The press . ( diepresse.com [accessed January 18, 2017]).
  9. ↑ Landtag President Hans Penz: Accusations against Dr. Erwin Pröll Private Foundation go nowhere. In: Tips Online. Retrieved January 16, 2017 .
  10. ^ STANDARD Verlagsgesellschaft mbH: Lawyer: No investigations against Erwin-Pröll-Stiftung . In: derStandard.at . ( derstandard.at [accessed on February 3, 2017]).
  11. ↑ Does Pröll hand over to Mikl? January 14, 2017 ( oe24.at [accessed January 15, 2017]).
  12. ↑ Ebner on Falter-Fake-News: Desperate attempt with old history to keep falling sales figures alive. Retrieved January 17, 2017 .
  13. ^ Pröll Foundation: "Falter" rejects "fake news" accusation. Retrieved January 17, 2017 .
  14. ↑ Ebner: If Dr. Klenk money for his scandalizing neurotic? In: ots.at . ( ots.at [accessed on January 16, 2017]).
  15. ↑ Ebner on Falter Fake News: Interior Minister Sobotka is right. In: ots.at. Retrieved January 16, 2017 .
  16. ↑ Pröll spokesman for Falter article. Retrieved January 17, 2017 .
  17. ↑ Pröll Private Foundation: Mitterlehner locates "artificial excitement". Retrieved January 17, 2017 .
  18. ↑ STANDARD Verlagsgesellschaft mbH: Pröll Private Foundation: According to Mikl-Leitner, "lawful way" . In: derStandard.at . ( derstandard.at [accessed on January 25, 2017]).
  19. ↑ Lukas Sustala: Whoever defames journalism helps fake news. In: NZZ Austria . January 15, 2017. Retrieved June 27, 2017 .
  20. ^ Reinhard Göweil: Fake News - Wiener Zeitung Online . In: Lead article - Wiener Zeitung Online . ( wienerzeitung.at [accessed on January 17, 2017]).
  21. ↑ Pröll the founder. All just dirty campaigning. Retrieved January 17, 2017 .
  22. ^ Causa Pröll Foundation: ÖVP Lower Austria attacks "Falter" editor-in-chief Klenk . In: vienna.at . ( vienna.at [accessed on January 19, 2017]).
  23. ↑ A “Fake News” -sager and its legal aftermath . In: The press . ( diepresse.com [accessed March 30, 2017]).
  24. ^ STANDARD Verlagsgesellschaft mbH: Pröll Foundation: ÖVP withdraws "fake news" accusation against "Falter" . In: derStandard.at . ( derstandard.at [accessed on July 16, 2017]).
  25. ↑ Short version in the tvThek ( Memento of the original from March 29, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / tvthek.orf.at
  26. ↑ Long version in the tvThek ( Memento of the original from March 30, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / tvthek.orf.at
  27. ↑ Pröll and Wolf: The transcript of the battle of words and "Don't make the mistake of explaining things that cannot be explained"
  28. ↑ See Renate Graber: Give money but like, Der Standard , Pröll defends the Pröll Foundation, Der Standard ,
  29. ↑ STANDARD Verlagsgesellschaft mbH: A wine god with a strict finish: Erwin Pröll at Armin Wolf's "ZiB 2" . In: derStandard.at . ( derstandard.at [accessed on March 30, 2017]).
  30. ↑ Erwin Pröll has a dispute with Armin Wolf . In: vienna.at . ( vienna.at [accessed on March 30, 2017]).
  31. ↑ Georg Renner: Erwin Prölls "Stumpsinn", explains. In: NZZ Austria . March 28, 2017. Retrieved June 27, 2017 .
  32. ↑ Rainer Nikowitz: Donate money | PROFIL.at . In: profil.at . January 14, 2017 ( profil.at [accessed January 15, 2017]).
  33. ↑ a b c Georg Renner: How to hide a private foundation in the Lower Austrian budget. In: NZZ Austria . January 11, 2017. Retrieved June 27, 2017 .
  34. ^ A b Günther Oswald: The St. Pölten normality. January 10, 2017, accessed January 10, 2017 .
  35. ^ Private foundation: Erwin Pröll in need of explanation , Kurier, January 10, 2017.
  36. ↑ 1.35 million state funds for the Pröll Private Foundation. January 10, 2017, accessed January 10, 2017 .
  37. ↑ Pröll Private Foundation: Yes, it was a violation of the law! In: The Greens. Retrieved January 15, 2017 .
  38. ↑ Josef Urschitz: What Erwin the founder teaches us. January 10, 2017, accessed January 10, 2017 .
  39. ↑ Cathrin Kahlweit: Pure Feudalism. January 12, 2017. Retrieved January 12, 2017 .
  40. ↑ Schneeberger: Allegations of the Greens regarding Erwin Pröll Foundation are absurd and wrong! In: ots.at . ( ots.at [accessed on January 15, 2017]).
  41. ^ Conrad Seidl: Lessons in blue-yellow state politics. January 13, 2017. Retrieved January 14, 2017 .
  42. ↑ Dr. Erwin Pröll private foundation: clubs prevent the current hour of the Lower Austrian Greens . In: ots.at . ( ots.at [accessed on January 25, 2017]).
  43. ↑ Inquiries: 1250.htm to 1256.htm. Retrieved April 4, 2017 .
  44. ^ Edwin Bartl, Landtag Directorate : Lower Austria / Politics + Administration / Landtag / Landtag submissions XVIII. GP / Inquiries 2017. Retrieved April 4, 2017 .
  45. ^ The Lower Austrian responsibility ping-pong. Retrieved April 4, 2017 .
  46. ↑ STANDARD Verlagsgesellschaft mbH: Landesrechnungshof: Sharp criticism of the Pröll private foundation . In: derStandard.at . ( derstandard.at [accessed on July 16, 2017]).
  47. ↑ STANDARD Verlagsgesellschaft mbH: Landesrechnungshof: Sharp criticism of the Pröll private foundation . In: derStandard.at . ( derstandard.at [accessed on July 16, 2017]).
  48. ^ Controversial "Erwin Pröll Privatstiftung" officially dissolved - derStandard.at. Retrieved October 15, 2018 .
  49. ↑ noe-lak.at ( Memento of the original from January 16, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / noe-lak.at
  50. ↑ Private foundation replaces Landesakademie noe.orf.at, June 5th, 2016. Accessed: January 16, 2017.
  51. ↑ Green skepticism from the Lower Austrian State Academy ots press release, June 7, 2016. Accessed on: January 16, 2017.
  52. ^ Deed of foundation "Forum Morgen Privatstiftung" Office of the Lower Austrian State Government, May 31, 2016. Accessed on: January 16, 2017.