Former Austrian Foreign Ministry Secretary-General Peterlik Accused of Mishandling Classified Novichok Report

Diplomatic Fallout and Damage Control

The leak triggered a year-long effort to rebuild trust with international partners. According to testimony, Austria risked losing access to classified intelligence altogether without swift damage control. "Ohne diese Maßnahmen wäre der Vertrauensverlust wohl 'massiv' gewesen, im schlimmsten Fall hätte Österreich keine klassifizierten Dokumente mehr erhalten können" ("Without these measures, the loss of trust would have been 'massive,' and in the worst case, Austria might no longer have received classified documents"), the witness said. The embassy engaged in what was described as an "intensive Phase" of negotiations lasting "rund ein Jahr" ("about a year") to restore credibility.

The reclassification of the documents was also questioned during proceedings. One witness argued, "Das (Neuklassifizierung, Anm.) würde auch keinen Sinn machen" ("Reclassification wouldn’t make sense"). He noted that cover sheets published by the *Financial Times* were "relativ einfach" ("relatively easy") to trace back to Austria.

Defense Challenges Prosecution

Peterlik’s defense team sharply criticized the prosecution’s handling of the case. One lawyer accused prosecutors of intentionally delaying proceedings, stating, "Ich weiß nicht, warum jemand hier etwas im 'On' sagen sollte, was er damals im 'Off' gesagt hatte" ("I don’t know why someone should say something here 'on the record' that they had said 'off the record' back then").

Later in the day, Peter Launsky-Tieffenthal, Peterlik’s successor as Secretary-General, was scheduled to testify. The case continues to draw attention due to its implications for Austria’s intelligence-sharing relationships and the broader geopolitical context, including Russia’s alleged involvement in the Salisbury attack.

The trial underscores lingering concerns about Austria’s handling of sensitive intelligence under the FPÖ-led government, with potential ramifications for future diplomatic cooperation.