Strache Says to Return to Politics as Soon as Situation Around Video Scandal Clarified
Former Austrian Vice-Chancellor and leader of the Freedom Party of Austria (FPO) Heinz-Christian Strache, who resigned in May after a video showing him allegedly discussing illicit activity ahead of Austria's 2017 legislative elections surfaced, said that he would return to politics only after the circumstances surrounding the tape were explained
Strache managed to win a seat in the recent European Parliament elections in late May despite the major scandal. However, the former vice-chancellor announced earlier on Monday that he had decided to turn down the opportunity to work in the legislature.
"This decision was not taken based on political grounds and it is not a deal. I just personally made this decision for an important reason � my return to active politics can and should happen only after circumstances of the video from Ibiza are fully clarified," Strache said in a statement released by the FPO's press service.
The formed vice-chancellor added that his political career was always focused on Austria and "certainly was not over."
The video, which was filmed as part of an apparent sting operation at a luxury Ibiza hotel in 2017, surfaced last month, ahead of the EU elections. It showed Strache discussing ways to avoid party financing rules with a woman posing as a niece of a Russian oligarch. She was later revealed to be a Bosnian student who was paid to entrap the politician.
Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen has dismissed the country's government led by Chancellor Sebastian Kurz over the scandal. The country is now set to hold snap parliamentary elections in September.