Massive criticism of the Ministry of Health. Did the federal agency gamble and cheat dealers? The affected suppliers of protective equipment apparently want to sue.
- At the height of the corona crisis *, the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) ordered a large amount of protective equipment *.
- In this regard, there are now huge problems.
- Has the BMG miscalculated around Minister Jens Spahn *? And is this now at the expense of the manufacturers? The allegations are acute.
- Here you will find the basic facts about the corona virus * and the current number of cases in Germany * as well as the Corona news from Germany. All information on the subject is also available on our Facebook page Corona News.
Berlin - face mask chaos in Berlin. The Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) around Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) has obviously messed up. The suppliers of mouth and nose guards * are angry and feel bruised, there is a risk of a legal dispute including class action.
The dispute was triggered by the BMG's open house procedure . With this model, the client (the BMG) concludes a contract with every company that offers the corresponding products - in this case protective masks - under binding conditions. The aim of the BMG was to meet the immense need for surgical and FFP-2 masks * as quickly as possible at the beginning of the corona pandemic.
Protective clothing for doctors and medical staff is now to be increasingly manufactured in Germany. "Many companies have signaled that they want to help fight #Corona. I am grateful for this sense of responsibility and the entrepreneurial spirit," said @JensSpahn
- BMG (@BMG_Bund) April 1, 2020Coronavirus: Ministry Criticism - "Worse Than Trading With Amazon"
As a result of the call that the ministry went public at the end of March, many entrepreneurs came forward to provide their face masks . There were 738. The BMG had apparently not counted on this rush . Critics accuse the Ministry of Health of being overwhelmed. Large delivery quantities have not been collected for weeks now - the dealers ultimately threatened to remain at the expense. That emerges from research of the "Tagesspiegel".
An anonymous supplier who provided the masks via contacts to China is still waiting for half of his money, a "low seven-figure amount." He is disappointed with the BMG and says: "With the BMG or the government at all, I will no more doing business in my life. ”Another, also not named, entrepreneur scolds:“ This is worse than trading with Amazon. ”
Corona virus: dispute over mouth and nose protection - is the BMG embezzling 4.2 million euros?
The Tagesspiegel also reports on a forum of dealers in which they complain about the government's actions in Berlin . There is said to be a gigantic sum of 4.2 billion euros that the Ministry of Health owes them.
But apparently this is stubbornly silent about the concerns of the suppliers. Several inquiries have remained unanswered for weeks, it is said. Furthermore, one tries to seal off the dealers or refer to quality defects of the masks, because of which the goods will not be accepted.
The entrepreneurs apparently feel left alone and are afraid of financial consequences. Some drove "straight to bankruptcy," as one trader says.
The Ministry of Health around Minister Jens Spahn is criticized.
© dpa / Kay Nietfeld
Corona dispute over Ministry of Health: BMG threatens class action
The allegedly damaged suppliers now want to go to court - and believe they have good chances. In the said forum there is also talk of a class action lawsuit . The entrepreneurs are represented by Thomas Mösinger, Frankfurt specialist lawyer for public procurement law. According to the lawyer, the open house procedure results in a mandatory acceptance guarantee.
It makes a difference, "whether I order a pizza or announce that I then pay for all the pizzas that are delivered to me". The BMG has therefore "underestimated how many people have any China connections with which they then hoped to easily land a contract worth millions".
Coronavirus: Federal Ministry of Health "made a huge mistake"
The federal authority had thus "made a huge mistake, one could have set up an emergency award procedure without problems and with an upper limit for the delivery quantity".
It remains to be seen what will happen in this matter. The Ministry of Health may have to prepare for a lengthy legal battle. Exit open.
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* merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network
List of rubric lists: © dpa / Kay Nietfeld