Corruption inquiry

The parliamentary inquiry on corruption was set to hold its first hearings in late Jan.

The cross-party committee was to summon twelve witnesses on Telekom Austria’s alleged bribery of former members of government for favourable legislation and public contracts.

The former minister of infrastructure, Hubert Gorbach, was the most prominent figure to be summoned to give account at this stage.

Established in Oct. 2011, the parliamentary inquiry has no legal powers, but serves to report on government conduct in the Telekom scandal and five other alleged cases of corruption, including insider trading during the privatisation of public housing ("Buwog") and the selling of citizenship to party donors.