Ernst Strasser

Ernst Strasser

Ernst Strasser (born 29 April 1956, Grieskirchen) is a former MEP for Austria from Österreichische Volkspartei, (ÖVP) (14.07.2009-23.03.2011) and a former Federal Ministry for the Interior (Innenminister) of Austria (2000-2004).

Affiliations

Vice-Chair:

17.09.2009 / 2011: Delegation for relations with the Maghreb countries and the Arab Maghreb Union

Member:

14.07.2009 / 2011: Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats)

16.07.2009 / 2011: Committee on Foreign Affairs

16.07.2009 / 2011: Subcommittee on Security and Defence

16.07.2009 / 2011: Committee on Petitions

16.09.2009 / 2011: Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean

16.09.2009 / 16.09.2009 : Delegation for relations with the Maghreb countries and the Arab Maghreb Union

Substitute:

16.07.2009 / 2011: Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

16.09.2009 / 2011: Delegation for relations with India

Record and Controversies

Declaration of Financial Interests 2011

Professional Activities:

• Member of the European Parliament
• Executive Partner, CCE - Consulting GesmbH
• Executive Director, BCD-GesmbH

Paid Functions or Activities:

• Member of board, G4S Security Services AG
• Member of board, Rail Holding AG

Background of Conflicts

Cash for Laws Scandal

Strasser is involved in a corruption scheme devised by two Sunday Times journalists. According to Austrian news magazine Profil, the journalists introduced themselves as businesspeople from London and asked him to make changes in an EU bill concerning protection of investors, possibly in exchange for money. On 4th February 2011, Strasser sent his fellow MEP Othmar Karas the draft prepared by the journalists. Karas rejected the draft without asking any questions.

As reported by Telegraph's Bruno Waterfield, Mr Strasser boasted to undercover journalists that he earns £436,000 a year for lobbying on top of his MEP salary and personal allowances of over £190,000. He also explained that if he was to change laws in the European parliament then he must take precautions to avoid suspicion. "The problem is, a lobbyist is a lobbyist, yes," he told a hidden camera. "And a lobbyist has some special smell. It's true to be said I am myself something like that. So we have to be very careful." Prosecutors say that he demanded an annual fee of €100,000 in exchange for influencing legislation.

Strasser rejected the claims about the business deal and having talked to the businesspeople about a change in the bill. He stated that he never took money from the company.

Josef Proell, Austria's vice-chancellor and ÖVP leader, demanded the MEP's "immediate resignation from all political posts". Strasser stepped down from hic post as an MEP on 23 March 2011, claiming that he was standing down to prevent "damage" to Austria's coalition government. "I have decided to take this step because there has been a campaign against me in Austria," he said.

Two other MEPs were implicated by the newspaper, Adrian Severin, a former Romanian deputy prime minister and Zoran Thaler, former Slovenian foreign minister. Strasser resigned after the scandal, as did Zoran Thaler. Adrian Severin refused to resign but was expelled from the Socialists & Democrats group in the European Parliament. Romanian prosecutors filed charges against Severin in July 2012. No charges have been filed against Pablo Zalba Bidegain, a Spanish centre-right MEP who was also targeted by the sting operation.

The three MEPs had pushed through two amendments to alter draft banking legislation aimed at protecting millions of consumers across Britain and Europe.

Special prosecutors in Vienna have charged Strasser with corruption. If found guilty, Strasser faces between one and ten years in prison.

Personal Information

Curriculum Vitae

• Doctor of laws, Salzburg University (1981). Head of strategic planning, Umdasch, Amstetten (1990). Managing partner, cce-consulting (since 2005).
• Regional business manager, Lower Austria section of the People's Party (1992-1998).
• Municipal councillor in Grieskirchen (1983-1985). Member of the Lower Austria Regional Assembly (1993-2000); chair, regional assembly club of the Lower Austria section of the People's Party (1998-2000).
• Federal Minister for Internal Affairs of the Republic of Austria (2000-2004).
• President of the Lower Austria Aid Organisation (since 1998). President of the Austrian-Russian Friendship Society (since 2003).
• Grand Cross of the Jordanian Order of Al Kawkab Al Urduni. Grand Cross of the Papal Order of St Gregory the Great. Grand Cross of the Order of Congress of the Republic of Colombia. Grand Gold Decoration with Ribbon for Services to the Republic of Austria.

Contact

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This article is part of the MEPedia project of Spinwatch.

Resources

• European Parliament, Erklärung der finanziellen Interessen der Mitglieder: Ernst Strasser, 13 January 2011, accessed 15 March 2011.
• European Parliament, MEP Directory: Ernst Strasser, accessed 15 March 2011.
• Kurier, "Strasser ging falschen Lobbyisten auf den Leim, 12 March 2011, accessed 16 March 2011.
• oe24, "Strasser- Affäre 
wird zu 
EU-Krimi," 12 March 2011, accessed 16 March 2011.
• Schmid, Ulla, "Ernst Strasser unter Korruptionsverdacht," Profil, 12 March 2011, accessed 16 March 2011.
• Vogel, Toby, "Former MEP indicted for corruption," 09 August 2012 European Voice, accessed 26 September 2012.
• Waterfield, Bruno, "European Parliament member resigns over 'cash for laws' scandal," 20 March 2011 The Telegraph, accessed 26 September 2012.