SOBOTKA: I only know the name Sidlo from the media
Krone: The opposition assumes that you are once again biased and demands that you resign the chair of the committee during ÖVP Week. What do you say?
Wolfgang Sobotka: I understand that the opposition must be critical but criticism must always have substance otherwise it remains an allegation. In the hot phase when it was about the FPÖ man Peter Sidlo's appointment as casino board member you were with Novomatic founder Graf. At almost the same time there was SMS traffic between Novomatic Supervisory Board Oswald and Management Board Neumann, which was about Casinos Austria AG. You met Oswald at Novomatic just before as did your former press spokesman Bernhard Krumpel who was the Novomatic spokesman. I'll show you my calendar here. I had many appointments that day, from a rehab center in Perchtoldsdorf to a car dealership and a catering business. In between was the said company visit. It was AK election campaign. Positions at the casinos were not an issue there. The name Sidlois only known to me from media reports. It annoys me that you want to construct a story here. That will not do. I can't accept that.
What was the conversation with Graf about?
About economic policy issues and modern employee policy. Gaming licenses as they are now discussed in the committee were not an issue there. Novomatic is one of the largest employers in Austria. As an ÖAAB representative you naturally talk to business people. There is also the accusation that you are close to Novomatic via the Alois Mock Institute via advertisements. This particularly annoys me. Somewhere I had to read about lush advertisements. In 2019 we received 2500 euros twice. Other clubs in the area close to the party can only smile wearily.
What do you expect from the committee?
A subcommittee is not a court and I have no substantive role either. I expect clear insights into the cast of Sidlo.
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