Malicious Allegations Denounced by Spahn
In a bid to shed light on the controversial mask procurement during Jens Spahn's tenure as Health Minister, the Greens and Left Party in Germany have called for a parliamentary inquiry. The investigation centers on Spahn's large-scale procurement of face masks at exorbitant prices during the early phase of the pandemic, which he later declined to accept or pay for, potentially costing taxpayers around 2 billion euros if courts rule against the government in related lawsuits.
The Left Party co-leader, Ines Schwerdtner, has accused the Union of damaging its credibility due to questionable mask deals. Schwerdtner argued that anyone who wastes tax money should not hold significant political positions, illustrating their call for Spahn to resign from his current role as parliamentary leader of the CDU/CSU coalition.
The Federal Finance Ministry, led by Olaf Scholz at the time, is also under scrutiny for its role in the procurement process. Investigative documents reveal discrepancies and questions about whether the Finance Ministry followed legal protocols properly, raising fears of mismanagement and negligence.
The SPD's role is significant due to Scholz's position as Finance Minister during the mask procurement period under investigation. The Greens and Left Party members are urging the SPD to support the establishment of the inquiry to ensure full transparency and accountability from the government.
CDU faction leader Jens Spahn remains unperturbed by the prospect of an inquiry, expressing hope that his actions during the pandemic will be evaluated in context. Spahn has also criticized malicious accusations in the debate surrounding his actions.
The Union opposes an inquiry, with faction leader Steffen Bilger (CDU) arguing that a Bundestag enquiry commission can address the pandemic in a factual and non-partisan manner with the help of external experts. However, the SPD's support is still needed for the inquiry to be set up, according to Greens faction leader Irene Mihalic.
The Greens and Left party members do not want to rely on potential votes from the AfD for the establishment of an inquiry. The opposition in the Bundestag, including Greens and Left party members, argue that a report by special investigator Margaretha Sudhof shows Spahn's personal involvement in mask deals and are calling for an inquiry.
The report suggests that Health Minister Nina Warken (CDU) may have deliberately redacted certain passages to conceal Jens Spahn's involvement, which can only be fully clarified in an inquiry. The Greens and Left party members believe that an inquiry would clarify how decisions were made, assess accountability across ministries, and restore public trust regarding the government's COVID-19 crisis management.
The inquiry aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the mask procurement process during the pandemic, with the hope of restoring public trust and ensuring that similar situations are avoided in the future. The Greens and Left Party members are currently seeking the necessary 25% of MPs for the establishment of the inquiry.
The Greens and Left Party members have emphasized the need for policy-and-legislation changes to prevent mismanagement in health-related procurement, as evidenced by the controversial mask deals during Jens Spahn's tenure as Health Minister. In light of these concerns, they are urging the SPD to support the establishment of a parliamentary inquiry to ensure accountability and transparency in the politics of general-news issues.
