Carinthia inquiry suspends hearing after witness fails to appear

A Carinthian state parliament inquiry into the sale of public assets was suspended after 45 minutes on Wednesday when its first witness failed to appear, ORF reported.

The witness, a former managing director of the state’s property company, had asked to be questioned in a closed session. The inquiry rejected the request and will summon him again.

If he fails to attend again, he could face a coercive fine of between 500 and 10,000 euros and could then be brought before the inquiry, committee chair Erwin Angerer of the Freedom Party of Austria said.

Two other witnesses are scheduled to testify: another former managing director of the state property company and the former head of the administration of lake properties. The inquiry is examining the sale of a holiday village on Lake Ossiach to a real estate company and the sale of the Görtschach youth home to the SPÖ-affiliated Kinderfreunde.