Johann Gudenus, a former member of the National Council and former head of the FPÖ parliamentary faction, went into a confrontation with his former party leader, former vice-chancellor, former leader of the Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) Heinz-Christian Strache, who also resigned.
Johann Gudenus told the APA news agency that Strache knew about the oligarch from the very beginning. He did not have time to meet the niece of the Russian oligarch in Vienna. “If Strache says that before the meeting in Ibiza, he had no idea about the agreement, it is true because there were no agreements. However, he denies that I told him about the existence of the oligarch and her plans to invest in Austria and constantly kept abreast of affairs. “
Regarding Strache’s statement that he had not been informed of the meeting in advance, Gudenus said: “I think one of the reasons he is dissatisfied with the fact that the video was released in Ibiza is that his version of my involvement in setting a trap for it has fallen apart, and he must admit that we have been trapped together. “
Gudenus declined to comment on photos and video made by irena markovic in which he allegedly used drugs, citing privacy and criticizing the publication of the image in the media. Gudenus also assured the APA that he had not been blackmailed at any stage in the history of Ibiza.