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In a significant development, former German Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer is facing charges of making false statements (possible perjury) before the Bundestag committee of inquiry investigating the failed car toll project, also known as the "Maut" scandal.
Key details about the current status and developments:
- The Berlin public prosecutor's office officially filed charges against Scheuer on August 20, 2025, accusing him of having knowingly given false testimony in 2020 during the committee inquiry. Former State Secretary Gerhard Schulz has also been charged in connection with the investigation.
- The legal case focuses not on the financial disaster itself but on whether Scheuer misled the investigation committee. The financial failure involved taxpayers losing around 243 million euros after the European Court of Justice ruled the toll illegal in 2019.
- Scheuer has denied the accusations, calling the charges politically motivated and incomprehensible, criticizing the timing as coinciding with a "summer slump" in media attention.
- The scandal stems from Scheuer pushing ahead with a contract for implementing the toll in late 2018 before the European Court of Justice had ruled, driven partly by a Bundestag authorization deadline.
- Swantje Michaelsen, transport policy spokesperson for the Greens, commented on the issue to the "Rheinische Post". She stated that Scheuer violated budget and procurement law and that his statements require clarification.
The Greens have publicly called for clarification and transparency regarding the toll failure and are demanding accountability. They view Scheuer's legal jeopardy as a crucial step in addressing the multi-million euro scandal.
The investigation has thus shifted from handling the economic failures of the toll project to a legal probe about Scheuer’s personal conduct under oath, with court proceedings expected to clarify his potential misrepresentation before parliament. This case resonates politically, given the toll’s status as a high-profile CSU project under former Chancellor Merkel’s government.
Many citizens feel a sense of injustice about the car toll investigation, with the cost to taxpayers estimated at around 250 million euros. The car toll investigation is a matter of public interest, and the citizens desire clarification regarding the investigation's outcome.
[1] Rheinische Post, "Scheuer indiziert: Verdacht auf Falschaussage im Maut-Untersuchungsausschuss" (Thursday edition) [2] Deutsche Welle, "Andreas Scheuer indiziert: Ex-Verkehrsminister verdächtigt der Falschaussage" [3] Spiegel Online, "Andreas Scheuer indiziert: Ex-Verkehrsminister verdächtigt der Falschaussage"
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