Austrian Opposition Party Wins Libel Case On Alleged Financing From Russia - Reports

The opposition Freedom Party of Austria (FPO), which opposes sanctions against Moscow, has won a lawsuit in Vienna's Commercial Court against the ruling Austrian People's Party (OVP), which accused it of receiving money from Russia, Austrian media reported on Thursday

VIENNA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th June, 2023) The opposition Freedom Party of Austria (FPO), which opposes sanctions against Moscow, has won a lawsuit in Vienna's Commercial Court against the ruling Austrian People's Party (OVP), which accused it of receiving money from Russia, Austrian media reported on Thursday.

According to the first-instance ruling, the OVP must immediately refrain from making or spreading "false allegations" that the FPO received money from Russia for proposing initiatives in the National Council, the lower house of the Austrian parliament, local newspaper Kronen Zeitung reported.

The legal action was prompted by two materials published by the OVP in early February about the FPO allegedly receiving 20,000 Euros ($21,500) from Russia for submitting to parliament a proposal to lift sanctions against Moscow, the newspaper added. If the proposal had been approved by parliament, the FPO would have received an additional 15,000 euros, the report said.

The court ruled that the OVP must refrain from further accusations, publicly refute its "false" statements regarding the OFP and pay all legal costs, Kronen Zeitung said.