Committee stands firm on Schröder declaration - lawyer expresses indignation
Take a Load Off, Gerhard: The Schwerin Investigators Aren't About to Cut You Slack
Schröder, the former chancellor and SPD leader, might want to recline and relax, what with that medical certificate confirming his burnout. But the Schwerin state parliament's inquisitive clique ain't done with him just yet. As confirmed by Green Party MP Hannes Damm, they're still rearing to grill the 81-year-old on October 17, 2025. The medical report on his fitness to contribute under oath will arrive by August 31.
Hans-Peter Huber, Schröder's legal eagle, ain't best pleased about this development. He reckons this line of inquiry don't fall under the Code of Criminal Procedure, and those questioning Schröder's private medical reports are a tad haywire, as he shared with the German Press Agency.
"Throwing the former chancellor in front of the committee's fire pit on October won't do him any favors in his recovery," Huber warned, hinting at potential detrimental impacts on Schröder's recuperation process.
Schröder retreated to a Swiss clinic in spring, nursing a burnout. In a recent letter, he expressed doubt about a 2025 recovery, pointing out that unusual stressors could jeopardize his healing process.
Nord Stream on the Agenda
After his political swan song, Schröder remained active, particularly for Russian energy companies, like Nord Stream 2 AG's supervisory board chairman.
The opposition parties, who instigated this probing committee, hope that face-to-face interrogation of Schröder can offer insights on potential Russian influence on Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state government decisions. In early 2021, the government established the Climate and Environmental Protection Foundation MV, tasked with ensuring Nord Stream 2's North Sea pipeline completion amid US sanction threats. Despite Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the foundation's intended dissolution, this resolution failed.
In mid-May, Schröder penned a letter to the committee, expressing continued support for Nord Stream 2, considering Germany's industry's requirement for secure and budget-friendly energy.
The ongoing inquiry by the Schwerin state parliament's committee, despite Schröder's medical condition, could delve into the policy-and-legislation aspect of Russian influence on Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state government decisions, specifically regarding the Nord Stream 2 project. This probe, falling under the general-news category, may also shed light on any potential crime-and-justice implications in these matters.
