No criminal proceedings

“Nazi”: Green now recants statement against FPÖ member

According to the FPÖ, the Green politician Karl Kühn, managing councillor in Gumpoldskirchen (Lower Austria), has recanted his statement that the Freedom Party's Peter Souczek is a "Nazi". He undertakes to refrain from such statements in future and will pay the legal costs.

In addition, Kühn must make an apology including a retraction at the next meeting of the municipal council. The Freedom Party announced on Saturday that this would allow him to avoid criminal proceedings for defamation.

"Repeat offender"
"Mr. Kühn is a repeat offender who already attracted attention a year ago with last-class remarks towards Souczek and his wife. Insulting decent citizens and a democratically legitimized municipal council as Nazis is really the last straw. Think first and then speak, even if it's difficult, but the Greens should take this to heart," said FPÖ district party chairman Christoph Luisser.

According to the Freedom Party, the declaration that Kühn has agreed to is enforceable. If the mandatary does not adhere to it, enforcement via the Mödling district court is possible.

The case became public on Thursday. Helga Krismer, leader of the Green Party, described the "derailment" as "not right". Kühn apologized: "It was wrong of me to use the term 'Nazi'."

So that cooperation for our municipality does not suffer any further, I hereby ask my colleague Peter Souczek to accept my apology.

Der grüne Politiker Karl Kühn

According to a press release, the statement was made at the last meeting of the mobility working group in Gumpoldskirchen.

(Bild: zVg)

Green politician shows remorse
"So that cooperation for our municipality does not suffer any further, I hereby ask my colleague Peter Souczek to accept my apology," Kühn addressed the Freedom Party politician and Mayor Ferdinand Köck (ÖVP) on Thursday. "My statement in the committee caused quite a stir, even though I had already apologized to my colleague Souczek during the meeting."