VIENNA, April 27, 2026 WKStA denies jurisdiction in Thomas Schmid probe The Austrian Economic and Corruption Prosecutor's Office (WKStA) has concluded it lacks jurisdiction to investigate former Finance Ministry General Secretary Thomas Schmid over alleged false testimony in the Postenschacher trial, referring the matter to the Generalprokuratur for a final decision. The WKStA announced its decision after reviewing the case involving Schmid, who is accused of misrepresenting facts related to the appointment of the head of the Finanzamt Braunau. The office stated there was no "close material connection" to justify its involvement.
Caroline Czedik-Eysenberg, spokesperson for the WKStA, confirmed the development, stating: "Die WKStA hat die Prüfung der Zuständigkeit nunmehr abgeschlossen und ist zu dem Ergebnis gekommen, dass ihre Zuständigkeit nicht gegeben ist" ("The WKStA has completed its review of jurisdiction and concluded that it does not have jurisdiction").
Investigation Closed
The WKStA has formally closed its investigation into the appointment of the Braunau tax office head, determining that the matter does not fall under its purview. The case has been forwarded to the Generalprokuratur, which will now decide whether another authority should take over.
This decision follows testimony from a Finance Ministry civil servant, who claimed Schmid attempted to influence the appointment process. The official alleged that Schmid instructed him to contact the top candidate for the Finanzamt Freistadt position and dissuade him from accepting the role.