Appeal announced

After Kurz verdict: “It will take years to come to terms”

The former Federal Chancellor and former leader of the ÖVP party, Sebastian Kurz, was sentenced on Friday to eight months' conditional imprisonment for making false statements in the Ibiza U Committee.

(Bild: Anja Richter)

Sebastian Kurz has made an initial reaction to his verdict. First, the former chancellor emphasized that he was acquitted on two of three charges. On the conviction: "I find this part of the decision very unjust." He will therefore lodge a full appeal. Initial statements have also already been received from the parties.

Kurz appeared before the press at 8.40 pm. His eyes were glazed over: "I have to take note of this for today. I have the right to appeal in a legal dispute and I will make use of that."

Kurz also said that he was "surprised" by the verdict. He also did not think it was fair. He had made every effort to testify truthfully in the U Committee.

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"I hope for the second instance"
However, the verdict has not changed his life. "My life will go on tomorrow just as it did yesterday."He hopes for the second instance- What he finds strange, however, is the fact that the main witness for the prosecution had written on his CV just six months ago that he was free of hostages.

That is not life-changing for me. My life will go on tomorrow just as it did yesterday.

Sebastian Kurz über seine Verurteilung

ÖVP General: "Unexpected verdict"
ÖVP General Secretary Christian Stocker was equally surprised by the "unexpected verdict". It was regrettable for Kurz that the court of first instance had reached an acquittal on several points, but a guilty verdict on one point, "because a great deal of exculpatory testimony was given in the evidentiary proceedings".

ÖVP General Secretary Christian Stocker

(Bild: krone.tv)

Stocker added: "This initial verdict will now be reviewed in the appeal proceedings. It therefore remains to be seen how the appellate court will assess the results of the evidence and the proceedings. It is therefore not yet a legally binding decision, so the outcome of the appeal proceedings remains to be seen. "SPÖ: 

SPÖ: "'Kurz era' will keep the courts busy for years to come"
 Initial statements have also already come from other parties. "In terms of the legal reappraisal of the Kurz system, this is more of a minor issue," said Krainer, assessing the Kurz trial regarding false testimony. He added: "The 'Kurz era' will keep the courts busy for years to come." According to him, the other pending suspicions are serious, but the presumption of innocence applies.

"The judiciary is responsible for the legal assessment," added Krainer. Politicians should exercise restraint.

FPÖ: "I would be very worried as ÖVP"
Tyrol's FPÖ leader Markus Abwerzger spoke out shortly after the verdict was announced. "A guilty verdict for Kurz also means that Schmid is a credible (crown) witness. If this is confirmed, then I as ÖVP and others involved (accused) would be very worried about the further proceedings," he wrote on Twitter. 

NEOS: "It's about respect for democratic institutions"
For NEOS leader Beate Meinl-Reisinger, this trial was not just about a statement by Kurz. Rather, it was "about respect for democratic institutions such as parliament", emphasized the NEOS leader: "And it's about a system, a system of corruption of posts, corruption of advertisements, self-service. It's about the fact that the SPÖ, ÖVP and FPÖ parties have created a system that finally needs to be changed."

Why exactly Kurz was convicted

The guilty verdict for former Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz relates specifically to the appointment to the supervisory board of the state holding company ÖBAG. Kurz had been questioned about his involvement in this in the U Committee. Both he and Bernhard Bonelli had played down his involvement - primarily with the argument that the candidates favored by Kurz, such as the entrepreneur Sigi Wolf, had not been appointed anyway. Nevertheless, the court was of the opinion that Kurz had falsely given the impression that he had not been involved and did not convict him of making false statements.

Kurz receives eight months conditional sentence
Kurz was sentenced in the first instance on Friday to eight months' conditional imprisonment for making false statements in the parliamentary Ibiza U Committee.

His former head of cabinet Bernhard Bonelli received a conditional prison sentence of six months for the same offense. There were also acquittals on certain points, such as the appointment to the management board of the state holding company ÖBAG. The custodial sentences will be conditionally suspended for a probationary period of three years. The verdicts are not yet legally binding.