Buyer wanted

Uproar over state involvement in wedding planner

The digital platform is aimed at couples planning their wedding(Bild: Facebook)

The online platform Lovebiirds, which helps bridal couples plan their weddings, is experiencing financial problems. The company is majority-owned by the Burgenland Business Agency. The ÖVP criticizes it.

 The company, based in Mattersburg, was founded in December 2021 - with the participation of the Burgenland Business Agency. As a digital wedding platform, it offered event planning from home. One year later, the business agency even acquired the majority of the company shares - 81.18% .

"Apparently insolvent"
But even then, business was apparently going badly. The 2022 annual financial statements showed a net loss of 277,432.74 euros. "Why were the shares increased?" asks ÖVP regional managing director Patrik Fazekas. The company's situation remains critical. Liabilities amounted to 149,923.07 euros as of July 31. According to Fazekas, settlement agreements are being drawn up and sent to creditors in order to avoid insolvency proceedings. "Doskozil's wedding planner is obviously insolvent," said Fazekas. The ÖVP is now demanding clarification on how much taxpayers' money was wasted.

Valuable software
The Burgenland Business Agency emphasizes that Lovebiirds is a "new, fully digital e-market platform for wedding planners". The launch was very promising. The founder's health problems brought this development to an abrupt halt. "Business operations are currently suspended," says Michael Gerbavsits, Managing Director of the Business Agency. Efforts are being made to find third-party investors and customers for the specially developed and valuable software. Attempts are being made to reach an out-of-court settlement with creditors. "The aim is to reduce the company's debt and thus make it saleable to a potential buyer," says Gerbavsits.