Austrian Prosecutors Investigating Lukashenko's Vacation in the Alps

Salzburg prosecutor's office is investigating the details of Belarusian President, Alexander Lukashenko, vacation in the Austrian Alps in March 2002. It was reported by Austrian sports expert and journalist, Erwin Roth, who in April published the details of Belarusian leader vacation in the leading Austrian printed media.

As Erwin Roth notes, the visit of Alexander Lukashenko was held at the invitation of the then chairman of the Austrian National Olympic Committee, the owner of casino network, doctor Leo Wallner. According to Erwin Roth, the prosecutor's office of Salzburg believes that there should be initiated a criminal case against Leo Wallner and his company, Casinos Austria, Belarusian service of Radio Liberty informs.

The materials,  granted to the prosecutor's office by Austrian journalist, show that in reality the Austrian Olympic Committee, which supposedly officially invited Belarusian delegation headed by Alexander Lukashenko (then, prohibited to enter the EU), had no connection to the visit.

Erwin Roth believes that it was a trick: one head of Olympic Committee - Leo Wallner, invited another - Alexander Lukashenko, while in fact, no representative of the NOC, except Leo Wallner, met with the delegation.

Salzburg prosecutor's office also received at its disposal the financial documents showing that the cost of Belarusian president's recreation only for the Austrian side were at least 200 thousand euro. The payment was made through the "black accounts" or secret account of Austrian National Olympic Committee, while all bills were paid by Casinos Austria company.

According to financial records, among the costs there appear: payment for the services of hotels, airlines (Vienna - Innsbruck charter flights), helicopter company (Alexander Lukashenko needed the helicopter after the injury when he was taken to a private doctor from a hillside), receipts for medical services, payment of the ski lessons for 11 representatives of Belarusian delegation, rent of a bus for 34 people, gambling at Austrian casino, many alcoholic beverages drunk by Belarusian team and other expenses.

Austrian local observers consider the details of Belarusian leader vacation, firstly, as a great Austrian scandal.

Source: Telegraf