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FPÖ in hot water over election posters

Austrian singer and entertainer Rainhard Fendrich has threatened to sue Upper Austria’s Freedom Party (FPÖ) for ripping off the lyrics from his popular I Am From Austria song.

Published: 22 August 2014 10:22 CEST
FPÖ in hot water over election posters
Manfred Haimbuchner. Photo: APA

The FPÖ has used a dialect slogan for its election posters for Upper Austrian candidate Manfred Haimbuchner: “Do kum i her, do g’hear i hin!” which translates as “that´s where I’m from, that´s where I belong” – a very similar phrase to the one used in Fendrich’s song, often referred to as Austria's "unofficial anthem". 

Harald Karl, a copyright specialist who has represented Fendrich for years, sent a letter to Upper Austria’s FPÖ on Thursday.  

"We’re demanding that the FPÖ stop using this slogan," he told the Österreich newspaper.

Fendrich has given Upper Austria’s FPÖ until the end of next week to remove the posters or cover up the slogan. If the FPÖ refuses to comply he may take further legal action.

Upper Austria's FPÖ told the Austrian Press Agency that in its opinion, its text is not identical – and clearly refers to Upper Austria, rather than Austria. It has removed the poster from its website. 
 
A lawsuit from the popular singer could seriously damage the FPÖ’s local election campaign.

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POLITICS

Austria’s Raiffeisen Bank replaces ‘misleading’ Russia job ads

Austria's Raiffeisen Bank said on Tuesday that it was replacing job ads that contained 'misleading wording' implying the bank was expanding its operations in Russia.

Published: 17 April 2024 14:52 CEST
Austria's Raiffeisen Bank replaces 'misleading' Russia job ads

The bank has vowed to reduce its business in Russia following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 but has so far not sold or spun off its Russian unit.

The Financial Times on Tuesday said it had found dozens of postings for Russia-based jobs, touting its growth plans in the country.

One of the job postings said the bank was “looking for a client manager who will attract clients,” the paper reported.

“The quotes from the job advertisements do not reflect the measures taken by Raiffeisen Bank International to date to reduce its Russian business, nor do they correspond to the further plans for the Russian business,” the bank said in a statement sent to AFP.

It added to be able to sell Raiffeisenbank Russia — the biggest Western bank still in Russia — “job positions that are necessary for functioning banking operations will continue to be filled or refilled”, but they are “not related to business growth”.

“The very few job ads which contained old and misleading wording are/will be replaced.” the bank said.

Raiffeisen Bank International said in its annual report for 2023 that it had made 2.4 billion euros ($.2.6 billion) in net profits. It paid 464 million euros in income tax in Russia.

The group announced in December an agreement with Austrian construction company Strabag, involving Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, who is under Western sanctions.

The deal to try to recover assets frozen in Russia before selling or spinning off Raiffeisenbank Russia has drawn the US authorities’ scrutiny.

A senior US Treasury official — in Austria in March to discuss sanctions against Russia — met Raffeisen Bank International officials in Vienna to discuss the bank’s business in Russia.

Last year, a Czech rights group filed a criminal complaint against the bank’s Czech and Austrian units, claiming the bank is financing terrorism with its activities in Russia.

Raiffeisenbank has been in Russia since 1996 and employs more than 9,000 people there.

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