Proposed mask mandates under attack by Greens and Left parties towards Spahn - Allegations surface against Spahn by Greens and Leftists, cloaked in anonymity
In a dramatic turn of events, Janosch Dahmen, a Green health expert, has levelled serious accusations against Jens Spahn, the former Health Minister, and current Federal Health Minister Nina Warken (CDU), regarding the procurement of coronavirus masks. The accusations, detailed in an uncensored special report by Margaretha Sudhof, have caused a stir in the political landscape and sparked calls for accountability and further investigation.
The uncensored report, which remains partially blacked out, has not been officially released but has been reported on by several media outlets, including Süddeutsche Zeitung, NDR and WDR, Spiegel, and Bild. The report suggests that Spahn was personally involved in procurement decisions, operating outside of normal procedures and potentially favouring companies from his home region without proper justification or transparency.
The specific accusations against Spahn include a lack of transparency and competitive bidding, ignoring expert advice, personal intervention in the procurement process, and corruption and abuse of power allegations. Critics argue that these actions may have resulted in significant logistical issues, high costs, and potential waste of taxpayers' money, as unprecedented amounts were spent on masks that were either never delivered or of such poor quality that they had to be destroyed.
Dahmen has accused Spahn of systematically lying about his involvement in corona mask procurement and has called for his resignation. Ates Gürpinar, spokesman for health economics of the Left faction, has criticised the Union for attempting to cover up Spahn's personal involvement. Gürpinar has also called for an investigative committee to clarify Spahn's questionable interventions in mask procurement.
The Committee on the Budget of the Bundestag will hold a "technical discussion" with special investigator Sudhof about her report on Tuesday. The discussion will take place in Berlin and is expected to shed more light on the matter.
The current Federal Health Minister, Nina Warken, is also facing criticism for her role in the matter. Dahmen accuses Warken of making changes in the report with the aim of concealing Spahn's and other Union members' responsibility in misusing state funds during the pandemic.
These accusations have led to a heated debate in the political sphere and have raised questions about the integrity of the government's actions during the pandemic. The Green Party and the Left faction have demanded transparency and accountability, calling for an Enquete Commission to examine the matter more thoroughly.
As the situation unfolds, the German public awaits the full release of the uncensored report and the outcomes of the discussions in Berlin, hoping for a clearer understanding of the events that have transpired and the steps that will be taken to ensure such misconduct does not occur in the future.
The Commission is also proposing to extend the scope of the enquiry to cover policy-and-legislation, politics, and general-news, as the accusations against Jens Spahn and Nina Warken involve potential breaches in procurement policies, questionable interventions, and allegations of corruption and abuse of power in the acquisition of coronavirus masks. This extension aims to shed light on the integrity of the government's actions during the pandemic and ensure accountability and transparency.
The Green Party and the Left faction's demands for an Enquete Commission to examine the matter more thoroughly underscores the need for a comprehensive investigation, encompassing policy-and-legislation, politics, and general-news, to uncover the truth and prevent such misconduct from happening in the future.
