"There were no other decision-makers," said the former Chancellor according to the protocol.
Translate the following article text into English, retaining the HTML tags: Signa - Benko was according to Gusenbauer the "Initial Decision-Maker"
7-02-2025, 15:03
Regarding the position of René Benko in the Signa Group, which he founded, Alfred Gusenbauer, former SPÖ Chancellor and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Signa Prime and Signa Development, has made incriminating statements. In an interrogation protocol, quoted by the daily newspaper "Kurier", Gusenbauer calls Benko the "primary decision-maker" of the real estate group.
Gusenbauer on Benko
Benko had the "decisive" role in the Signa Holding, as well as in Signa Prime and Signa Development, according to Gusenbauer. The advisory board of the holding, which Benko officially led, was "the grand stage" for the Signa founder. "He spoke of his visions here," said Gusenbauer. The managing directors, on the other hand, were merely "extras" at the meetings. Investigators also accuse Benko of being the de facto managing director of the entire group.
Gusenbauer first noticed signs of financial difficulties at Signa Prime in late summer 2023, when a financing deal with a Korean pension fund for 400 million euros fell through. The funds were supposed to be raised elsewhere, but no financing was secured - subsequently leading to insolvency. However, advisors hired by Signa reportedly said until the end of 2023 that "there is no risk of insolvency," according to Gusenbauer.
(APA/Red)
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