Telekom Austria Affair

The Telekom Austria Affair ({{Langx|de|Telekom-Affäre}}) surfaced in 2011 and is one of the major corruption complexes in recent Austrian history. The affair has been the subject of numerous investigative and judicial proceedings. It consists of different, partially unrelated subareas and is based on management misconduct by executives of partially state-owned Telekom Austria as well as some business partners and politicians of the 2000–2007 government coalitions in Austria.

Suspicions included share price manipulation,Ulla Kramar-Schmid, Michael Nikbakhsh: [http://www.profil.at/articles/1332/560/363908/gernot-schieszler-system-telekom-die-beichte-kronzeugen Gernot Schieszler und das System Telekom: Die Beichte des Kronzeugen]. In: profil.at, 14. August 2013 unauthorised election campaign donations to the right-wing parties FPÖ and BZÖ,[https://www.news.at/a/telekom-skandal-schwere-vorwuerfe-gorbach-305180 Telekom-Skandal – Schwere Vorwürfe gegen Gorbach]. In: News. 24. August 2011Michael Nikbakhsh & Ulla Kramar-Schmid: [http://www.profil.at/articles/1204/560/317679/telekom-schwarze-kassen Schwarze blaue Kassen]. In: profil. 28. Jänner 2012[http://www.orf.at/#/stories/2105051/ U-Ausschuss: Werber Schmied belastet BZÖ]. In: ORF. 14. Februar 2012 donations to sub-organisations of four parties, influencing the awarding of contracts, questionable football sponsoring and unclear company takeovers. On the margins, the Christian-conservative ÖVP and social democratic SPÖ are also said to be involved. [http://derstandard.at/1315005535118/Hintergrund-Schwarz-blau-orange-Affaeren Schwarz-blau-orange Affären]. In: Der Standard. 5. September 2011[http://www.orf.at/stories/2079008/2078835/ Das etwas andere Erbe von Schwarz-Blau]. In: ORF. 15. September 2011[http://www.orf.at/#/stories/2105032/ „Falter“: Hochegger-Geldtransfer für Echomedia?] In: ORF. 14. Februar 2012 It is considered{{Cite web |title=Die ultimative Übersicht: Unsere 35 Skandale |url=https://www.falter.at/zeitung/20111004/die-ultimative-uebersicht-unsere-35-skandale |access-date=2022-04-07 |website=www.falter.at}} as one of the biggest corruption cases in Austria's history and also led to the surfacing of the Tetron Affair.

The discovery of the affair led to former Austrian chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel's resignation from his National Council mandate.[http://derstandard.at/1315005465225/Telekom-Affaere-Wolfgang-Schuessel-legt-Mandat-zurueck-und-weist-jede-Verantwortung-von-sich Wolfgang Schüssel legt Mandat zurück und weist jede Verantwortung von sich]. In: Der Standard. 5. September 2011

The criminal trials led to convictions of politicians, managers and employees involved.{{citation|surname1=www.heute.at, Heute|periodical=Heute.at|title=Rechtskräftige Urteile für Rumpold und Hochegger|date=2016-08-23|language=German|url=http://www.heute.at/politik/news/story/Rechtskraeftige-Urteile-fuer-Rumpold-und-Hochegger-22801952|access-date=2018-08-03

}}[http://diepresse.com/home/wirtschaft/economist/1352219/TelekomProzess-geht-in-zweite-Instanz Telekom-Prozess geht in zweite Instanz]. In: Die Presse. 6. März 2013 Parts of related investigations and trials are still ongoing.