Innsbruck court

Benko hearing in Innsbruck began without Benko

Benko did not attend the Innsbruck regional court.(Bild: APA/EXPA/JOHANN GRODER)

Following the insolvency application filed by the Finanzprokuratur as the attorney for the Republic of Austria against Signa founder René Benko personally, the so-called insolvency opening hearing began on Tuesday morning at the Innsbruck Regional Court and was over after around an hour. There were no substantive statements afterwards. Benko did not appear, a decision will not be made until the beginning of March.

He was also not required to be present at the non-public hearing, as his absence had been expected. Instead, representatives of the Tyrolean investor and the Finanzprokuratur were present.

The decision was finally postponed early Tuesday afternoon. The media office of the regional court stated that "a decision on the application for the opening of insolvency proceedings filed against the entrepreneur René Benko is not yet possible as the parties still have to submit further documents. The insolvency judge has given the parties until 05.03.2024 to do so.

Insolvency judge Hannes Seiser(Bild: Christof Birbaumer)

Benko lawyer Georg Eckert(Bild: Christof Birbaumer)

Anselm Fuchsbauer from the State Financial Procurator's Office(Bild: Christof Birbaumer)

Benko was absent from the Innsbruck Regional Court on Tuesday morning.(Bild: APA/EXPA/JOHANN GRODER)

Representatives of the parties did not make a statement to the journalists present before the start of the hearing. 

The facts of the case and the asset situation were discussed at the hearing. The Benko side will in any case make a confession of assets. Ultimately, it must be determined whether insolvency actually exists. If this is not the case, the insolvency application will be rejected.

The application is to be based, among other things, on the fact that the Tyrolean investor has not fully complied with its obligation to contribute three million euros in the holding company's restructuring proceedings. And on the other hand, that there are outstanding claims against him by Finanz.