Minister Backhaus Under Fire for Allegedly Illegally Ordering Wolf's Killing
Minister Backhaus faces imminent criminal charges for the slaying of a wolf - Minister Backhaus Under Threat of Legal Action Following Wolf Slaying
You ain't seen a polarizing decision like the one made by ol' Till Backhaus, the bloke in charge of the environment in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Back in 2020, he green-lit the shooting of a she-wolf in the Rostock district, claiming it was to stop hybridization between wolves and dogs—a move his furry foes aren't too fond of. But now, it seems the minister might be facing some heat for potential violations of nature conservation law. Here's the lowdown:
Backstory on the Shooting
- Backhaus's Rationale: Backhaus justified the shootin' by claimin' it was necessary to keep wolves and dogs from mixin' and potentially threatenin' the wolf population[1][2].
- Legal Grounds: The shooting was originally given the green light by the local county office with an exception permit[2].
Legal Loopholes
- Examination Results: Post-mortem results later showed the wolf wasn't pregnant—a significant contradiction[2][3].
- Court Rulings: Initially, the shooting was considered legal, but the Higher Administrative Court later declared it as illegal in early 2025. The Ministry and the local county have since challenged this decision, taking it to the Federal Administrative Court[2][3].
Current Allegations and Process
- Prosecution and Charges: The Rostock prosecutor's office plans to slap Backhaus and other officials with charges for allegedly violating the Federal Nature Conservation Act. The main claim is that Backhaus improperly influenced the issuance of the permit to kill a protected animal[1][2].
- Immunity Waiver: To move forward with charges, Backhaus's parliamentary immunity would need to be lifted. The Legal Committee of the Schwerin Landtag has recommended lifting his immunity, pending approval from the entire Landtag[2][3].
In a nutshell, Backhaus's decision is under the microscope due to possible procedural flaws and the post-mortem findings that undermined his justification. The charges center around whether he followed proper nature conservation laws and whether he played fast and loose with the shooting permit.
- Minister Backhaus's controversial decision to permit the killing of a she-wolf in Rostock in 2020 has sparked debate, with allegations of illegally influencing the permit's issuance.
- Post-mortem results showed a significant contradiction, as the killed wolf wasn't pregnant, unlike the claim made by Minister Backhaus.
- The Rostock prosecutor's office intends to charge Backhaus and other officials for allegedly violating the Federal Nature Conservation Act, as they suspect improper influence on the permit to kill a protected animal.
- The legal proceedings involving Minister Backhaus involve the potential lifting of his parliamentary immunity, as the Legal Committee of the Schwerin Landtag has recommended this step, pending approval from the entire Landtag.
