The European Commission is following “in disbelief” the scandal around former Austrian Vice-Chancellor and leader of the Freedom Party (FPO) Heinz-Christian Strache, Chief Spokesman for the European Commission Margaritis Schinas said Monday.
“Indeed, we followed in disbelief as a leader of a political party was seen negotiating access to media and institutions in exchange for funds from external benefactors who clearly do not have Europeans’ best interests at heart. We do not feel that a comment from our side would be necessary,” Schinas told reporters, when asked about Strache.
On Friday, some of the major German media reported, citing a video recording made during a July 2017 meeting in Ibiza, Spain, that a woman offered Strache to give FPO money and help them with press support, while Strache reportedly offered the woman government construction contracts in return. The Austrian politician later said that the woman was a Russian-speaking Latvian citizen.