Controversial Wolf Death: Minister Backhaus Under Investigation for Potential Legal Violation
Minister Backhaus Faces Accusations Following the Slaying of a Wolf - Minister Backhaus under threat of filing charges after allegedly slaying a wolf.
Unraveling the events that transpired five years ago, Minister Till Backhaus (SPD), currently serving in the Schwerin government, may soon find himself facing a court trial. According to Rostock prosecution authorities, there's enough evidence to suspect that the minister violated the Federal Nature Conservation Act by commanding the killing of a she-wolf. Hints indicate that Backhaus may have influenced the distribution of an exemption permit for the shooting by the local district office.
Owing to parliamentary immunity, Backhaus is currently immune to criminal prosecution, yet the Legal Committee of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state parliament has agreed to the prosecution's request to lift his immunity. Upon receiving parliamentary approval during the upcoming week, formal charges could be filed.
Minister Backhaus maintains the decision to shoot the wolf was accurate
Backhaus previously justified the she-wolf's shooting by referring to species protection, reasoning that the district of Rostock granted an exemption permit in March 2020 for the removal of a she-wolf that had frequently interacted with a farm dog and possibly mated with it. The risk of hybridization had prompted the permitting of the shooting, according to a statement by the Minister.
Forensic examination of the animal revealed no pregnancy upon its death in April 2020. The Ministry stated that earlier attempts to capture the animal and affix a tracking device had been unsuccessful.
Prosecution views preventive killing as a legal infraction
Initially, the shooting, conducted with a permit issued by the Rostock district office, was thought to be legal. However, the Higher Administrative Court in Greifswald reached a different conclusion at the beginning of this year, leading the prosecution to reconsider the case. The prosecution argues that shooting a wolf hybrid is the only legal means of action to preserve species diversity, not the preventive killing of a suspected pregnant she-wolf.
In response to the prosecution's decision to charge Backhaus, the Minister expressed his bafflement and reaffirmed that the parties involved did everything in accordance with the law to avoid hybridization concerns. It has also been confirmed that the Administrative Court found their actions to be lawful. The Ministry's appeal of the shooting permit's legality is currently being processed by the Federal Administrative Court.
- Till Backhaus
- She-wolf
- Rostock district
- Prosecution
- Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
- Charges
- Schwerin
- SPD
Enrichment data:The current legal framework in Germany regards wolves as a protected species, although modifications to EU-level laws allow for easier management of troublesome wolves [2][4]. The Habitats Directive's downgrade of wolf protection has paved the way for countries like Germany to implement more straightforward measures for problematic wolves causing harm to livestock. However, the Federal Nature Conservation Act (BNatSchG) provides stringent protection for wolves, making it unlawful to harm or kill them unless granted special permission under exceptional circumstances [3]. If the Minister did not comply with the appropriate legal procedures or exceptions, it could lead to legal repercussions. However, the specifics depend on the situation, as changes to the Federal Nature Conservation Act following the EU's decision may have been implemented.
- The Rostock prosecution authorities suspect that Minister Till Backhaus, currently serving in the Schwerin government and a member of the SPD, may have violated the Federal Nature Conservation Act by commanding the killing of a she-wolf in 2020.
- The Minister maintains that the decision to shoot the wolf was justified as the Rostock district had granted an exemption permit in March 2020 for the removal of a she-wolf that had frequently interacted with a farm dog and possibly mated with it, to prevent hybridization.
- The forensic examination of the animal revealed no pregnancy, leading the Ministry to justify their actions, but the prosecution views preventive killing as a legal infraction.
- The current legal framework in Germany regards wolves as a protected species, but changes to EU-level laws allow for easier management of troublesome wolves causing harm to livestock. If Backhaus did not comply with the appropriate legal procedures or exceptions while implementing measures for problematic wolves, it could lead to legal repercussions.
