No Green Light for FPÖ Inquiry Committee

On Wednesday, the coalition factions rejected the request for an inquiry committee submitted by the FPÖ in the National Council in the Rules of Procedure Committee.

FPÖ's request for inquiry committee rejected as "entirely inadmissible"

The ÖVP relies on legal opinions from Christoph Bezemek and Mathis Fister, who doubt the legal correctness of the Freedom Party's request. According to the inquiry committee rules, the subject of the investigation must be a "specific completed process in the area of federal execution." Bezemek does not recognize this in the FPÖ's request in the National Council to examine various Corona measures and the death of the former section head Christian Pilnacek. In his assessment, the subject of the investigation remains vague and undefined. Fister calls the request inadmissible because it concerns neither a "specific" nor a "completed" process in the area of federal execution.

Kai Jan Krainer (SPÖ) was particularly concerned about the mixing of two completely different topics. Nikolaus Scherak (NEOS) stated in the committee that he did not see the situation as clearly as the ÖVP and SPÖ. He could imagine that the Constitutional Court might find the bracket proclaimed by the FPÖ "acceptable," said the NEOS politician. Nevertheless, the NEOS sided with the ÖVP and SPÖ. With the coalition majority, it was decided to reject the FPÖ's request as "entirely inadmissible." The Greens identified "some formal errors" in the FPÖ's application. However, their party prioritizes the right to control, noted Nina Tomaselli.

FPÖ turns to Constitutional Court over inquiry committee

After the coalition factions disputed the request submitted by the FPÖ, they will now ask the highest court to "clarify the matter," announced Secretary General Christian Hafenecker in a statement on Thursday. The Freedom Party must challenge the decision of the Rules of Procedure Committee at the Constitutional Court within 14 days, with the fourteen-day period starting on Friday - with the beginning of the debate on the committee report in the plenary. The Constitutional Court should then make a decision within four weeks. If the Constitutional Court does not follow the concerns of the ÖVP, SPÖ, and NEOS in the Rules of Procedure Committee, it must convene "immediately" according to the procedural rules for inquiry committees.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.