Vienna - Austria cannot be legally forced to pay compensation to victims of Nazism, the official responsible for the issue said yesterday, rebuffing a billion-dollar US lawsuit.
Ms Maria Schaumayer said an $18 billion lawsuit by US lawyer Mr Ed Fagan on behalf of Nazi victims was not only "malicious" but also unviable, according to Austria's constitution. "Article 21 and 26 of the state's constitution make it clear that no claims can be put forward against Austria. A contribution cannot be forced either by a domestic court or by a foreign one," she told the weekly magazine Format.
