Der Kurier: Sponsorship lie about porn posters

The Austrian opposition parties seem agreed that the ÖVP must give an accounting of its support for the "25 Peaces" poster campaign that included the posters referred to in my previous post. Here is my translation of one of the articles ["'Sponsorship lie' about the porno posters"] I listed in that post:

The FPÖ and SPÖ [the two main opposition parties] are united in their criticism of Federal Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel [of the ruling ÖVP] in the discussion concerning the EU poster campaign "25 Peaces".

FPÖ leader Heinz-Christian Strache accused the head of the government of hypocrisy. "Schüssel is trying in a hypocritical way to [die Kurve zu kratzen], because the values-conservative Austrians are resisting these stupid provocations," opined Strache. In fact it was the case that the payment of half a million Euros for the whole campaign was in the area of responsibility of the chancellor. Schüssel knew precisely "what bizarre subjects" were to be foisted upon the people. The FPÖ chairman was concerned that Austria had made a fool of itself internationally "to its very marrow". A detailed investigation of all events was now called for, especially of the support of art with tax monies.

Lie about sponsorship

After the numerous falsehoods in which Wolfgang Schüssel and the Chancellor's office have entangled themselves in recent days, the latest trick with which Schüssel wishes to deceive Austrians is flopping as well: the lie about the sponsorship", said SPÖ chairman Josef Cap. It is in fact the case that the government resorted to using a dividend of the state holding company ÖIAG--"and thereby public funds", in order to subsidize the "EU porn posters", rather than (as the Chancellor's office had claimed) that the support relied on an external sponsorship by the ÖIAG. Finance minister Karl-Heinz Grasser must also explain himself, according to Cap.

Bungling

The federal spokesperson for the Greens, Madeleine Petrovic, regarded the poster campaing as a good idea in principle. However: "It has clearly gone completely awry." Some consideration should have been given to the timing before the presentation was made. Furthermore, policy could have been prepared for the debate that followed. To drop the controversial subject-matter "like a hot potato" demonstrates lack of spine--especially on the part of Chancellor Schüssel and Secretary for Art Morak, who was apparently "taken completely by surprise" by the content of the works. Petrovic regards it as inappropriate to simply say now "My name is Bunny, I know nothing" [idiomatic expression with rough semantic equivalence to Sgt. Schulz's "I know nothink!"]. She demands a "complete accounting" for the financing of the campaign.