::Eviction orders revoked - Preliminary compromise reached between Public Netbase and MQ management

After five hours of negotiations between Public Netbase and the MQ management on July 30, a binding agreement was finally reached. This was largely due to Public Netbase’s willingness to compromise. The talks were moderated by Günter Düriegl, the city’s authorized representative for the MQ management. MQ manager Wolfgang Waldner was accompanied by Vitus Weh, a Quartier 21 committee member.

The participants tried to come up with sensible solutions for the three most pressing matters at hand that had always been emphasized as such by the Institute.

As far as upcoming costs for the Institute are concerned, especially the still not specified running and management costs, Hofrat Düriegl made it known that the city of Vienna is ready to negotiate these costs and to cover them if necessary.

All those present consented that organizational and economic reasons made it necessary to extend the term of lease in further negotiations to a period of at least five years.

After Hofrat Düriegl had strongly appealed to Public Netbase to agree to reducing their new premises to less than half of the planned size, its representatives assented. Thereupon, the MQ management promised the Institute a surface of about 300m² in the Fischer-von-Erlach-Trakt, since the numerous public events absolutely require easily accessible room outside of office space. However, the MQ management has still made no commitment as to the whereabouts of the event space.

To avoid escalation, it was agreed that the MQ management would revoke eviction orders if Public Netbase left the premises and turned in the keys of its current MQ office until August 17. Both sides reached a consensus about not removing Public Netbase’s tent from the Staatsratshof of the MQ.

Public Netbase's director Konrad Becker about the results of the negotiations: "This is of course no overwhelming success, but it was important to us to show the public our openness for dialogue. We are however ready to resort to the fiercest democratic measures of protest to ensure the keeping to these obligations."