Most recently, the Federal Court of Auditors drew attention especially with criticism of the failed car toll - but the Ministry of Transport is not the only department of the Federal Government, which operates in the opinion of the auditors mismanagement. In its "Remarks" on the budgetary and economic governance of the Federal Government this year, the Court of Auditors lists the result of a total of 28 reviews on just under 300 pages.
The public transport department of Andreas Scheuer (CSU) accuses the Court of Auditors in particular of lack of control at Deutsche Bahn: The Ministry assumes that the group denies the Court of Auditors information - and does not itself get all the documents it should receive. An example is documents on the economic situation of the foreign subsidiary Arriva, which is to be brought to the stock market. The "laissez-faire attitude" must stop. As a federal company, DB AG is obliged to provide information to the Federal Audit Office. This also applies indirectly to subsidiaries such as DB Energie, the report said.
Christoph Soeder / dpa
Lack of control of Deutsche Bahn: Court of Auditors criticizes "laissez-faire attitude"
In addition, the Court of Auditors criticized "oversized toilet facilities on unmanned rest areas on federal highways in Lower Saxony." Despite criticizing the Court of Auditors, the Federal Ministry of Transport is planning to commission eight more of these six-cabin turbines for a total of around four million euros. The cost per cabin amounts to more than 80,000 euros. The economy of the toilet facilities did not have the Ministry examined.
"We are interested: Where has the federal government its funds not compliant or uneconomical used," said Court of Auditors Kay Scheller. "Where has the federal government failed to take the means it deserves?"
Furthermore, the Court of Auditors complained about climate protection in local public transport, which in some cases was too short. For example, subsidized buses depending on their fuel consumption: the more consumption, the higher the promotion. "This funding logic has fallen out of time," the authority judged.
Tax reduction for farmers and foresters misses their target
The Ministry of Defense must also take criticism: In the armored infantry Puma, the crew still has no functioning battle simulator for training. That was "very unhappy," said Scheller. Here was planned for years in the wrong direction and spent over 100 million euros. Almost half of it was lost, because the concept changed.
In addition, pay the Federal Employment Agency too much management personnel. In almost every third representation of the agency, the management is subordinate to a division management, which in turn leads several areas.
Elsewhere, the Court of Auditors criticizes inefficient regulations: the allowance for farmers and foresters, for example, misses its goal of promoting small and micro enterprises - and their spouses and partners also receive this tax reduction, even if they have no corresponding income.
HAYOUNG JEON / EPA-EFE / REX
Ministers in the Federal Government: "Where has the federal government not used its funds in accordance with the rules?"
Control of external Schengen borders: shortcomings as a risk to "public safety and order"
In examining the external borders of the Schengen area, the Court of Auditors criticized the varying degrees of examination of visa applications: in many cases, the requisite evidence had not been requested. In addition, there is no complete reconciliation of information using the EU databases. Such shortcomings could "endanger public safety and order and interfere with the confidence of the population" in the system of border controls, said Court President Scheller.
The opposition in the Bundestag criticized the Federal Government in the face of numerous shortcomings. Left-wing politician Victor Perli said that the Court of Auditors could not describe "the total failure of the federal government in controlling Bahn AG more clearly" than the Court of Auditors. Parliament can only effectively monitor rail policy "if the Court of Auditors is able to fully audit it".
The Green politician Ekin Deligöz accused the federal government of a "massive irresponsible treatment" with taxpayers. "The grand coalition regularly pays public procurement offenses, poor organizational investigations and lack of staffing requirements, risky management or inadequate control," said Deligöz.
