"Protect the family"

Lawsuits against pensioners: what HC Strache says

Veronika F. has to pay the former Vice-Chancellor 6,000 euros - the "Krone" family helped her out with donations.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Zwefo, Privat)

Four pensioners cried in court, not knowing how to scrape together the thousands of euros for former Vice-Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache. The former FPÖ leader was always particularly committed to the "little man". He talks to the "Krone" newspaper about the flood of media complaints and the dozens of demands for payment. At the same time, the public prosecutor's office in Vienna brings charges of breach of trust against the former Vice-Chancellor without legal effect. The case concerns a life insurance premium.

In various court files and verdicts, he emerges victorious - on paper at least. Because Heinz-Christian Strache is constantly successful in his media lawsuit marathon. The oe24 network in particular now owes the former Vice-Chancellor a considerable sum of money, in some cases legally binding, for "defamation" and "violation of the most personal sphere of life" due to false allegations about his divorce.

Sharing without comment is also punishable
However, this is where the understanding of the general public and, of course, political opponents ends: Strache is also asking those who shared the incriminated articles on their Facebook profile to pay. This has already been legally ruled on by the Higher Regional Court. Anyone who publishes something on their account is the media owner and the Media Act applies. Sharing a post without comment is enough.

When it comes to my family and especially my children, a red line has been crossed.

Ex-Vize-Kanzler Heinz-Christian Strache

It remains to be seen whether the four pensioners who were on trial in Burgenland and Styria were aware of this. They had to fork out thousands of euros. But as we all know, ignorance is no defense against punishment. Although this is Heinz-Christian Strache's right, it raises moral questions. The FPÖ politician, who has always said of himself that he stands up for the little man and the little woman, is now suing the financially weak for their possessions.

"When it comes to my family and especially my children, a red line has been crossed," says the Floridsdorf district councillor to the "Krone" newspaper. He makes a comparison: "If the little man commits theft, for example, should I continue to fight for him?" The fact that it had now affected - among others - minimum pensioners, who now have to pay him compensation, was by no means intentional.

Letters with offers ignored
Together with his media lawyer Maximilian Donner-Reichstädter, he had sent letters to around 40 people - with an offer. "We gave all posters the chance to agree to an out-of-court settlement," said Strache. This would have been a lower amount than a lawsuit and the deletion of the post. "These are legal fees and a small compensation for me," explained the former Vice-Chancellor. Those who ultimately had to sit in the dock would have ignored this letter. Income or assets are not even known before a trial and it is too late to back down.

Veronika F. (68) had to go to court. The "Krone" family helped.(Bild: gofundme.com / Privat / KroneKreativ)

Just two examples that the "Krone" has already reported on: a 45-year-old disability pensioner sobbed desperately in court in Graz: "I can't pay for this." She has to pay 3800 euros; this was covered by SPÖ provincial leader Max Lercher. A 68-year-old woman from Burgenland is even dependent on a donation account so that she can pay her 6000 euro debt. "I am concerned with justice and not with money," the former FPÖ leader vehemently denies accusations of enrichment. 

My children and grandchildren will read this and I can at least say that I have taken legal action against these people.

HC Strache zur „Krone“

Time in the public eye over anyway?
However, he is well aware that this does not leave a good image with Mr. and Mrs. Österreicher. But that is no longer so important to the 56-year-old: "My political career in the public eye is a thing of the past for me." Above all, he wants to protect his family, who have suffered greatly from the untrue reporting: "My children and grandchildren will read this and I can at least say that I have taken legal action against these people." However, according to their own statements, they were confronted with payments that threatened their existence ...

Heinz-Christian Strache can only say: "I am exercising my rights here." His suggestion: The medium responsible for the original and later shared reporting should pay the damages of its readers - "They were willfully deceived by the publications."

I am exercising my rights here. It's about justice and not about money.

Strache über Abmahnungsschreiben und Klagen

On Tuesday, Strache again won a media lawsuit against the oe24 network. This time it was about the false reporting surrounding his mother's funeral. The judge reasoned: "Without doing any further research, allegations were taken over from a fraudster who was wanted for arrest. That is not a particularly reliable source." The medium is not legally obliged to pay him 11,500 euros. Almost a trifle compared to the 140,000 euros that the network was sentenced to pay for numerous publications on the Strache divorce, some of which were legally binding.

And those readers who may have shared the now incriminated article? Do they now have to fear a media lawsuit? "That is not planned", says the district politician to "Krone". This time, his children are not affected.