Gusenbauer about Benko: "He was the first decision-maker, there were no other decision-makers"

What ex-chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer testified when the Soko Signa was interrogated. He was Benko’s deputy on the Advisory Board of Signa Holding and for years supervisory board head of Signa Prime and the Signa Development.

In the complex investigation of the economic and corruption prosecutor’s office against the Signa founder René Benko the interrogation continues. A few days ago the former SPÖ Chancellor was Alfred Gusenbauer The series that was on the advisory board of the Signa Holding Benko’s deputy. In addition, Gusenbauer was the chairman of the Signa Prime Selection for 14 years and was the chairman of the Signa Development Selection for nine years, the two most important societies in Benko’s company empire. The Interrogation protocol The KURIER is available from January 28, 2025.

Oberster controller

Gusenbauer was the top control in Signa Prime and Signa Development. He was interviewed by the Soko Signa officials at their headquarters in Wiener Schlachthausgasse for three hours. So “Gusi” said that Signa Prime and Signa Selection “Nothing came to the decision without it being approved by René Benko”. “For me he was the first decision-maker, there were no other decision-makers”Gusenbauer said. Within the Signa Holding as well as in Signa Prime and in Signa Development, René Benko had the “decisive” role.

The fact is: Benko did not officially hold the Signa managing director, but he was head of the Signa Holding advisory board. The investigators accuse Benko that he was de facto managing director of the entire Signa Group.

“Convoked the advisory board for discretion”

In theory, the Signa board members and the Supervisory Board could have implemented a project, “In practice that never happened”according to Gusenbauer. The Advisory Board of Signa Holding was also just a discussion committee, he had no control function. “Essentially, Rene Benko convened the Advisory Board after his well -being”so Gusenbauer. “The advisory board meeting was the large performance stage of René Benko, he told about his visions here.” There were two managing directors in the Signa Holding, which according to Gusenbauer “But had no influence because everything René Benko did”. Also have the advisory board “Nothing to do with the business activity of the Signa Holding”. “The information came exclusively from René Benko, at the advisory board meetings, the managing directors were partly there, but in the role of extras”so der Ex-Kanzler.

Nothing about financial difficulties

The investigators also wanted to know when he first noticed that Signa Prime is in economic difficulties? “In late summer 2023, the fact that there will be difficulties may have been shown when financing a Korean pension fund over 400 million euros” fell over “said Gusenbauer. This money should now be set up elsewhere, two international consulting companies was hired for this. But this financing of the Signa Prime “It did not come about so that bankruptcy proceedings occurred”. Gusenbauer pointed out the investigators that the two consulting companies have also announced by the end of 2023, “That there is no risk of bankruptcy”. Gusenbauer wants that there would also be problems with the Signa Holding “Not informed”.

Benko is Responsible for the decline

However, the investigators, Gusenbauer, asked if he had an earlier statement in one ORF-Tay journal is that Benko is responsible for the demise of the Signa. “This is how I see it. The company has come into trouble because the money that has been generated with the real estate for years has flowed on the market”, “ said Gusenbauer. “It was then imagined that you could compensate for losses in retail by entering internet trade. The problem with this is that someone who was quite awesome in the real estate industry did not have the same happy hand in the trade. Rene Benko made the decision to go to the trade area. ” Nache: “Just as he is responsible for the ingenious rise of the real estate company, he is also responsible for decline.”