Mask procurement under Spahn: Greens and Left demand clarification!

Mask procurement under Spahn: Greens and Left demand clarification!

Things are currently becoming turbulent again in the political arena, especially when it comes to the procurement of Corona masks and the associated scandals. The survey by Margaretha Sudhof, who investigated the events surrounding mask purchases under Jens Spahn (CDU) on behalf of Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD), raises new questions. The Greens and the Left recently called for additional clarification after the hearing because, in their opinion, more questions remain unanswered than are answered. Paula Piechotta from the Greens sums it up: “There are more open questions than answered,” as radioenneperuhr.de reports.

The criticism of Spahn is not new and gains additional emphasis from the statements of Ines Schwerdtner (Left Party), who emphasizes that the allegations against him and his ministry are becoming more substantiated. Instead of sitting back, the Left is now calling on the coalition between the Union and the SPD to set up an investigative committee. In this heated debate, Christian Haase, the Union's budget politician, countered that the opposition's allegations did not provide any new basis for conspiracy theories.

The report and its consequences

Sudhof's report runs to around 170 pages and highlights the circumstances surrounding mask procurement, which were chaotic during the pandemic. It becomes clear that Spahn not only gave preference to preferred customers from his immediate surroundings, but also ignored needs assessments when purchasing masks. The logistics company Fiege, which comes from its neighboring constituency, was chosen as the central procurer despite concerns. This appears as another example in the reports based on the great economic damage in the matter, as mentioned by tagesschau.de.

The financial consequences are enormous: around 2.3 billion euros in dispute are currently recorded in more than 100 pending lawsuits. These risks represent a possible burden of billions for the federal government and the follow-up costs of mask procurement have already increased by 57 million euros to a total of 517 million euros in 2024. Further commitments totaling 67.3 million euros are planned for the coming years. The federal government is faced with a real financial dilemma here, as the Federal Audit Office clearly shows.

Political reactions and crisis management

The political dispute does not only extend through the ranks of the opposition. There are also voices in the CDU that support Spahn. Carsten Linnemann and party leader Friedrich Merz see no new findings in the report and defend Spahn's actions as a response to the chaotic conditions of the pandemic. However, the Bundestag not only insists on reviewing the procurement of masks, but has also put the establishment of a study commission to deal with the corona pandemic on the agenda, which further increases the political dimension of the issue, as bundestag.de can report.

In summary, we find ourselves in a phase in which both financial and political decisions need to be urgently addressed. The goal is clear: a comprehensive explanation of mask procurement, which is demanded by all political camps. The budget committee is already planning another meeting at the end of July, at which the insolvent battery manufacturer Northvolt and the allocation of funding may also be examined. The discussion about responsible processing remains in focus - it will be exciting to see how events develop.