Victims of Nazi persecution will not receive a penny more in compensation until law suits filed on their behalf in the US against Austria are dropped, Vienna warned today.
Austria has already started blanket payments of $7,000 to survivors whose assets were seized by the Nazis after Austria was annexed to the Third Reich in 1938, and has pledged further cash for individual claims.
In exchange for this package, Washington agreed earlier this year to protect Austria from victims' suits filed in the US for compensation. But according to Chancellor Mr Wolfgang Schuessel, suits remain to be dropped.
"If people want us to start payments tomorrow, all they need to do is demand of all lawyers to withdraw their suits. This is not our business, it is the business of the Americans and the victims," Mr Schuessel told the Austrian news agency APA.
In addition to the payments of $7,000, which will make a total of $150 million, Austria has also put aside $210 million for the purpose of specific claims.
A further $112 million is to be put into a social benefits package for the victims.
AFP