The Vienna Higher Regional Court has dismissed complaints against the termination of the preliminary investigation on suspicion of fraud in the procurement of the Eurofighters in 2003 and the settlement in 2007 by the Regional Criminal Court.
The last complaints came from the Economic and Corruption Public Prosecutor's Office (WKStA) and the Republic of Austria. This ended all criminal investigations into suspected fraud in connection with the procurement of the Eurofighters in Austria, said Wolfgang Peschorn, President of the Financial Procuratorate. The decision was ultimately made on the grounds that the Austrian prosecution authorities in the previous three-and-a-half-year investigation could not present the well-founded suspicion of fraud against the Republic of Austria through sufficient own investigation results to the extent that a continuation of the criminal investigation would be justified.
The President of the Financial Procuratorate, who directed the proceedings for the republic, showed no understanding for the termination of the investigation. But: "Court decisions create facts that are to be accepted," Peschorn continued. Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner agrees. However, she cannot understand the decision. “It is clear that this will keep a lot in the dark and that possible crimes will not be solved. "With our currently ongoing helicopter procurement, which we carry out government-to-government, we are at any rate showing how such procurement can be carried out cleanly, transparently and properly," Tanner continues.
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