Unpacking Jens Spahn's Corona Mask Controversy
Disputed mask claims dismissed - Calls for resignation from the left-wing over assertions
Berlin - Following a closed-door interrogation by parliamentarians, former Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn (CDU) maintains that most accusations of irregularities in the procurement of coronavirus masks have been invalidated. After the roughly two-hour grilling in the House of Commons of the Bundestag, Spahn expressed his frustration: "It's being attempted to spin this into a different context, up to the limit of defamation."
The Sudhof Report - A Scathing Indictment?
A report by special investigator Margaretha Sudhof alleged that Spahn had interfered extensively in the acquisition of protective masks "against the advice of his specialist departments." Billions of euros of potential risk for the state were created, even though authorities experienced in procurement were available and had voiced concerns several times. Sudhof's investigation was commissioned by Spahn's successor, Karl Lauterbach (SPD).
In response, Spahn states: "I consider most of the accusations from the Sudhof paper to be invalidated. It was a health emergency, and we had, to stay in the picture, no weapons, no ammunition, no protection." Emphasizing the urgency of the situation, he added: "We did what was necessary to procure masks."
Splurging Money to Save Lives
Finance and health ministers agreed that it was preferable to spend money than to risk lives during the pandemic. "This led to the fact that we spent 440 billion euros in federal funds to overcome the pandemic in three years," Spahn declared. With such an immense sum, hospitals' protective gear, vaccines, and tests were also secured.
The Wild West of Procurement
Spahn welcomed the creation of a parliamentary investigative committee, stating that the pandemic procurement process was "the Wild West." While decisions regarding procurement were made through a democratic process, several enterprising individuals attempted to cash in on the crisis.
A New Approach for the Future
Current Federal Minister of Health Nina Warken (CDU) defended Spahn but also stated that her ministry would no longer make direct procurements, as was the case then. The Greens criticized Spahn for suspected "abuse of power in office," as their health policy spokesman Janosch Dahmen said.
Catching Up On Lost Documents
Warken also criticized special investigator Sudhof for methodological shortcomings and some incongruous conclusions. On the other hand, she acknowledged that the documentation of documents from the relevant time in the ministry would need to be revisited later. "That the Federal Ministry of Health is actually a legislative house and not a logistics company is clear. And for the future, we should set up these procedures differently," Warken stressed.
Transparency - A Fickle Friend
Warken justified the blackout of personal data and business secrets of third parties in the report, stating that their protection was essential. However, she emphasized the need for transparency whenever possible.
Green Party chair Paula Piechotta said that Sudhof’s report had indeed led to adjustments in the ministry's strategic approach, particularly regarding questionable processes. Nevertheless, there are still 1.2 billion euros remaining in the federal budget for pending mask procedures. "That is probably not sufficient, as far as we know," Piechotta admitted.
The Left's Demand
The Left Party argued that the necessary clarification could not be left to the health department or an inquiry commission as desired by the black-red coalition. Instead, they believe that a commission, such as the one demanded for investigating Germany's Corona pandemic and crisis management, should scrutinize the entire process.
Uproar and Resignation Demands
The Left Party has demanded Spahn's resignation, claiming that he had recklessly wasted taxpayer money on questionable mask contracts against the advice of his experts[2]. The Left Party leader, Ines Schwerdtner, demanded that Spahn "do the democracy one last service and resign as faction leader by the end of this week."
Sources:
- Bericht Margaretha Sudhof
- Sudhof's report reveals potential procurement irregularities in the Corona crisis - Stenger
- Could there have been more corruption during Germany's pandemic response? - FAZ
- Green Party MP Learnt to Navigate the Bureaucracy of Powers during the Health Crisis - Tagesspiegel
Jens Spahn defended himself against allegations in the Sudhof report, stating that most of the accusations were invalidated, as procurement during the health emergency was necessary to save lives.Current Federal Minister of Health Nina Warken, in response to criticism of special investigator Sudhof's report, acknowledged that the documentation of documents from the relevant time in the ministry would need to be revisited later.
