Over a Luxury Pension

ORF Prepares Lawsuit Against Former Boss Wrabetz

He once headed the country’s largest media conglomerate; now Alexander Wrabetz is likely to face the ORF in court again, announced Ingrid Thurnher, who is still serving as Director General.(Bild: Krone-Collage/Christof Birbaumer, APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH)

On the day of the major board of directors election, events are unfolding rapidly at Küniglberg: Just minutes after the resignation of Foundation Board Vice Chair Gregor Schütze, Ingrid Thurnher announced that she would join the lawsuits against her predecessor’s predecessor, former ORF boss Alexander Wrabetz...

The ORF is taking legal action in the dispute over a supplementary pension for former ORF manager Pius Strobl. The public broadcaster has joined the investigation against Strobl and former Director General Alexander Wrabetz as a private party.

“Even according to the assessment now available from the ORF’s legal counsel, the agreement regarding the supplementary pension for Pius Strobl did not come into effect due to a lack of approval by the Foundation Board,” read outgoing Director General Ingrid Thurnher after the meeting. The ORF is therefore preparing a declaratory action seeking a negative ruling, which is to be filed shortly. The aim is to have the court clarify that the pension commitment does not constitute a corresponding obligation.

The goal is to prevent financial damage to the ORF.

Stellungnahme des ORF zur Klage gegen Alexander Wrabetz

ORF Announces Constitutional Complaint
In addition to the dispute over the supplementary pension, ORF also announced legal action against the planned cut of 93 million euros in its funding. First, a complaint will be filed with the relevant media authority. The broadcaster then intends to take the matter to the Constitutional Court. It stated that it would “exhaust all legal remedies.” The plans were confirmed by Director General Ingrid Thurnher following the meeting of the ORF Foundation Board.

Thurnher angrily rejected the suggestion—made by FPÖ Foundation Board member Peter Westenthaler—that the ORF intended to plug the budget shortfall by raising the broadcasting license fee. That is by no means true, and such breaches of trust are “unacceptable” to her.