Andreas Scheuer is under criticism: The Federal Transport Minister should block access to potentially explosive emails about the failed car toll.
Federal Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer has to explain to a committee of inquiry about the failed car toll.
The opposition accuses the CSU politician of blocking the investigation.
On January 28th, Scheuer will be heard again before the committee of inquiry.
Berlin - Once
upon a time there was the CSU's prestige object
.
With a
car toll
, the party wanted to create "justice" according to its own statements.
Foreign car owners should pay a fee for using German roads.
However, the tax should not affect German drivers.
Although the
legal starting position
appeared questionable,
Federal Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer
concluded
contracts to collect the toll at the end of 2018.
But the
European Court of Justice (ECJ)
ruled in 2019 that the planned car toll violates applicable law, the idea had failed.
That costs the federal government dearly: The planned operators are demanding
560 million euros in damages
after the federal government terminated the contracts immediately after the judgment.
A committee of inquiry is to
clarify
the role of
Federal Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer
(CSU) in the failed toll project.
The accusation: the contracts were concluded before there was legal certainty.
The minister had to
explain
himself to the
committee of inquiry
on Thursday
, but the opposition is already raising serious allegations again.
Andreas Scheuer in the investigation committee: Opposition accuses him of "secrecy"
She accuses Scheuer of
blocking
the work of
special investigator Jerzy Montag (Greens)
, reports the
Süddeutsche Zeitung
.
Although Scheuer made the promise to allow access to his emails, he now withdrew his consent.
The
"maximum transparency"
promised by Scheuer
will not be produced in this way, criticized FDP politician Christian Jung.
He accuses Scheuer of
“secrecy”
.
Scheuer's emails: Does the Federal Minister of Transport have something to hide?
Special investigator Monday is supposed to clarify the question of whether Scheuer's MP e-mail account had been used as a
secret communication channel
in matters of tolls.
However, access to it was revoked.
Jung was annoyed that he now had to present his report, although it could not yet contain any results.
As the ministry reported on the incidents, access to the emails was
"postponed"
as a decision by the Federal Court of Justice (BGH) on a lawsuit by the opposition should be awaited.
The opposition factions represented in the toll investigation committee went to the Federal Court of Justice to reveal the protocol data of a member of parliament Scheuers.
The opposition suspects that Scheuer's previously submitted communication on the car toll is incomplete.
Toll Investigation Committee: Scheuer appears as a witness on January 28th
The tone grew rougher in the run-up to the hearing.
Green chairman Oliver Krischer gives the minister a
damning testimony
.
"He lied, broke the law and systematically ignored all signs," complains the opposition politician.
Scheuer should "admit his mistakes" and use the opportunity "to make a confession".
The Ministry of Transport rejects all allegations.
"In terms of content, based on what we have heard so far, we are convinced that only the corona pandemic is responsible for Federal Minister Andreas Scheuer still in office," said FDP committee chairman Jung.
He attested Scheuer "blatant legal violations in public procurement law and budget law, but also the complete misjudgment of the European legal dimension".
(
AFP / dpa / jjf
) * Merkur.de is part of the Ippen-Digital network.
