Inquiry intensifies following Sudhof's public appearance - Questions persist following Sudhof's address
Amidst ongoing investigations into controversial mask purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Green Party and The Left are advocating for a more thorough parliamentary inquiry. The opposition parties argue that their current access to information is insufficient to address the remaining questions raised by the Sudhof findings.
The crux of the controversy revolves around former Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU), who is accused of going against the advice of his specialist departments in mass procurement of protective masks in 2020. The ministry used a procedure with fixed high prices without further negotiations for the mask procurement, which has been a point of criticism.
Recently, a report by Margaretha Sudhof, a special investigator, revealed that Spahn's actions may not have been in the best interest of the public. However, no evidence of a party-political motivation was found in Sudhof's investigation. Spahn, now the CDU parliamentary group leader, has assured that he has not received any money for mask deals.
The opposition sees a need for further clarification after a hearing of special investigator Margaretha Sudhof regarding the mask purchases during the corona period. The Budget Committee, which includes representatives from various political parties, will revisit the mask procurement issue during the general parliamentary summer recess at the end of July.
The Budget Committee meeting with Sudhof was classified as confidential. The committee initially received the report with partly unreadable passages, but after the disclosure of an unredacted version, criticism of Spahn increased. The allegations against Spahn and the ministry have now been "rather more solidified than relieved."
Suppliers have complained about masks not being taken over, and the federal government still faces billions of risks from legal disputes over this. The Left Party leader Ines Schwerdtner has called on the coalition factions to support the establishment of an investigative committee.
However, the prospects for setting up such a committee appear slim, as the opposition lacks the necessary votes without support from the SPD. Spahn and his supporters view the opposition's demands as politically motivated and lacking in substantive evidence.
The Green Party parliamentary group leader, Paula Piechotta, spoke of an important meeting to compare statements by Spahn and the current minister, Nina Warken (CDU), with Sudhof's findings. The hearing of Margaretha Sudhof will also take place before the Health Committee this Thursday.
Former Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) is expected to be invited to the Budget Committee's revisit of the mask procurement issue. The topic will also include the allocation of funding to the now-insolvent battery manufacturer Northvolt for a planned plant in Schleswig-Holstein.
Christian Haase, budget policy spokesman for the Union, stated that conspiracy theories about the mask purchases during the corona period have not been further fueled. Spahn described allegations about his involvement in mask deals as slanderous, stating that he had only heard such rumors from the AfD before.
The establishment of an investigative committee to examine the mask purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic remains uncertain, with political tensions and the lack of support from the SPD presenting significant challenges.
- The Green Party and The Left lawmakers are pushing for a comprehensive parliamentary inquiry on the environment of the controversial mask purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic, considering the ongoing uncertainty and increasing criticism about former Health Minister Jens Spahn's (CDU) actions.
- Amidst concerns related to medical-conditions, health-and-wellness, and policy-and-legislation, the opposition parties urge for more transparency and access to information, arguing that the current access is insufficient to completely address the questions raised by the Sudhof findings.
- As the Budget Committee prepares to revisit the mask procurement issue, including funding allocation to companies like Northvolt, science and general-news outlets remain watchful for updates, especially regarding the prospects of establishing an investigative committee to bring policy and legislation into public scrutiny.
