Vienna court clears former Chancellor Sebastian Kurz of false statement charges

By Euronews

Published on 26/05/2025 - 13:08 GMT+2

Vienna's Higher Regional Court, connected Monday, overturned erstwhile Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz's eight-month suspended situation condemnation for making mendacious statements successful a parliamentary inquiry.

Judges astatine Vienna's precocious authorities tribunal threw retired Kurz's condemnation aft a short entreaty hearing, nan Austria Press Agency reported.

"What came retired is what I person ever said — namely, that I did not show untruths to nan parliamentary inquiry," Kurz said successful a little connection to reporters extracurricular nan courtroom aft Monday's decision.

"I now person a agelong clip successful (legal) proceedings down me, and to beryllium honorable I'd for illustration to group retired my position successful detail, but I inquire for your knowing that I'm going location to family and my 2 children first," Kurz added.

The lawsuit centered connected Kurz's grounds to an enquiry that focused connected nan conjugation he led from 2017, erstwhile his blimpish Austrian People's Party formed a conjugation pinch nan far-right Freedom Party, until its illness successful 2019.

Prosecutors accused nan 38-year-old of giving mendacious grounds successful June 2020 regarding his domiciled successful mounting up a holding company, OeBAG, which administers nan state's domiciled successful immoderate companies and appointing erstwhile adjacent confidant Thomas Schmid to its leadership.

Kurz was recovered blameworthy of making mendacious statements astir nan company's supervisory board, though not astir Schmid.

Judges connected Monday upheld nan condemnation of Kurz's erstwhile main of staff, Bernhard Bonelli, for making a mendacious connection to nan parliamentary enquiry astir his ain engagement and that of Kurz successful nan action of OeBAG supervisory committee members.

He was fixed a six-month suspended condemnation past year. Kurz said he profoundly regrets nan determination connected Bonelli.

The erstwhile leader of nan Alpine state appealed nan condemnation aft nan four-month tribunal case, which was nan first clip a erstwhile Austrian chancellor had stood proceedings successful much than 30 years.

Once a rising prima among conservatives successful Europe, Kurz resigned successful 2021. His People's Party still leads nan authorities nether existent Chancellor Christian Stocker, though it vanished 2nd successful an predetermination successful September.