Actually, there should have been an out-of-court settlement, but the settlement failed due to a joint document that should have been published by both sides and should have represented a joint statement on the situation.
The “Kurier” stated “incorrect or misleading information,” as the ÖEHV describes it, in an article on April 1st about the financial situation, which is why the association filed a lawsuit. At the court hearing on October 10th, the judge sought a settlement. This stipulated that the ÖEHV would cover €1,500 of the procedural costs and that both sides would publish a joint written statement within three weeks (we reported).
But it was precisely this that failed, as both parties stated. The association stated in a press release that “despite the efforts of the ÖEHV, the courier was not prepared to comply with the agreement and draw up a joint statement.” The “Kurier” in turn states that “the proposed explanation would have been unacceptable and that the KURIER will not allow itself to be threatened journalistically in its research by the threat of legal action.”
This makes it clear that things are now going to court. Both parties are looking forward to the process calmly, as they announced. And it will probably be a few more months before it becomes clear who is in the right.
