Former Austrian Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache appeared in court in Vienna on Tuesday, July 6, on corruption charges. This is the first trial against the former leader of the right-wing populist Austrian Freedom Party (APS) in the wake of the high-profile scandal dubbed "Ibiza Gate."The case is being heard in Vienna regarding a party donation of 10,000 euros that Strache accepted from a clinic specializing in cosmetic surgery. According to the case file, Strache provided benefits to the clinic in exchange for the donation. The owner of the clinic is also on trial.
Neither he nor Strache pleads not guilty. The trial is scheduled for four days.
Ibiza-gate scandal in Austria
The "Ibizagate" scandal, which broke in May 2019, caused a political earthquake in Austria. A video made by a hidden camera in a bugged villa on the Spanish island of Ibiza went viral. It shows Strache on the eve of parliamentary elections in Austria in 2017, promising the alleged "niece of the Russian oligarch" state contracts in exchange for support during the campaign.
As part of the investigation, police confiscated Strache's cell phone. A study of text messages stored on the phone led to other charges against the former head of the APS.
