Green Party Criticizes Government After Signa Case

The Green finance spokesperson Nina Tomaselli called for an effective anti-fraud law to prevent similar cases in the future. "Those who do nothing are complicit," she directed at the government.

Greens demand from government: "Stop cheap accounting tricks"

Signa founder René Benko exploited the system, most of his business practices were legal, said the Green member of the National Council ahead of the trial against him next week in Innsbruck. It is a political decision whether to allow the "next shell game player à la Benko" to deceive in a similar way. A package of measures in the area of fraud prevention has been promised by the coalition in their government program, but so far nothing has been seen of it.

Tomaselli demanded to stop "cheap accounting tricks," especially through higher penalties up to the total loss of the business license. Furthermore, Austria should no longer be a "foundation paradise," foundations should have the same obligations as corporations in the future. There also needs to be a focus on auditing foundations and more audits of companies, as well as stricter taxation of luxury real estate. The state must in any case "claim what it is entitled to," individuals should not enrich themselves while the majority contributes.

The attempts by the Greens to make a difference here have so far been unsuccessful, Tomaselli lamented. Even the former Green Minister of Justice Alma Zadić unsuccessfully advocated for a change in the law. A motion introduced by her party in the current legislative period has already been postponed three times by the governing parties. Tomaselli announced that she would submit a parliamentary inquiry on the anti-fraud law to Finance Minister Markus Marterbauer (SPÖ). She criticized the ÖVP for bringing up social fraud whenever tax tricks of the rich are discussed.

(APA/Red)

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