Due to the corruption investigations against himself, the CDU / CSU parliamentary group vice-president Georg Nüßlein is leaving his office.
He still considers the allegations to be "unfounded".
Update from March 1, 7.51 a.m
.: Greens and leftists are calling for
stricter lobbying rules
after the Nüßlein case
(see first report from February 25)
.
It should "never again" even appear to be "that MPs use their contacts to stuff their pockets - especially in an emergency like this," said the parliamentary manager of the Left Group, Jan Korte, the
Tagesspiegel
.
The Union accused Korte of stepping on the brakes when it comes to transparency and the fight against corruption.
The parliamentary manager of the Greens, Britta Haßelmann, also criticized the blocking behavior of the CDU and CSU in this regard.
"In addition to the long overdue legal lobby register, we need stricter rules on stock options, industry information, disclosure requirements for company investments and the publication of additional income in euros and cents," she said, also the
Tagesspiegel
.
Corruption investigations against CSU politician Georg Nüßlein
Update from February 27, 1:26 p.m.:
According to the Federal
Ministry of Health
, the CSU politician Georg Nüßlein, who has come under
fire
in connection with corruption investigations
, brokered
an offer for corona protective equipment to the federal government.
At the request of the German Press Agency, a ministry spokesman confirmed on Saturday that Nüßlein had forwarded a company's sales offer to the Federal Ministry of Health in March 2020.
"The contract came about after an internal ministry review." However, due to ongoing negotiations on quality issues, the contract has not yet been fully completed.
The ministry did not make any commission payments, the spokesman said.
Update from February 26, 5:40 p.m.:
Even if the deputy chairman of the CDU / CSU parliamentary group Georg Nüßlein lets his office rest, the 51-year-old had his lawyer explain that he was "unfounded" the allegations made against him. hold.
In addition, Nüßlein's lawyer points out "that the public prosecutor expressly and exclusively speaks of an 'initial suspicion'".
The investigation would therefore not allow the conclusion "that the evidence required for a justifiable criminal charge is given," explains Gerog Nüßlein's lawyer.
CSU General Secretary Markus Blume asked the Augsburger Allgemeine that the allegations raised against his party colleagues must be "fully clarified".
Katja Mast, the deputy leader of the SPD parliamentary group in the Bundestag, called Nüßlein’s decision to leave his post as “logical”.
"It must never even give the impression that a member of the Bundestag is personally enriched by the pandemic," said the Social Democrat.
CSU politician Nüßlein cancels his office because of corruption investigations
Update from February 26, 3:20 p.m.:
The CSU politician Georg Nüßlein is suspending his office as deputy chairman of the Union parliamentary group due to the corruption investigations against him.
The lawyer Nüßleins announced on Friday.
CSU politician Nüßlein puts Union in distress: "Incredibly stupid" - allegations probably "not harmless"
Update from February 25, 8:40 p.m.:
The mission is meticulously prepared.
On Thursday morning, two public prosecutors entered the Bundestag committee that regulates sensitive immunity issues.
You immediately have your say, requesting permission to search a dozen or so rooms, offices and apartments of an influential MP.
The committee paused, asked for more information about the allegations, unanimously gave the green light, the plenary session followed.
A moment later, investigators who were waiting in front of the door enter the parliament and search the rooms.
The judiciary proceeds quickly and without hesitation.
It meets the CSU member Georg Nüßlein, one of the vice-heads of the Union parliamentary group.
Apparently there are good reasons for this.
The 51-year-old from Swabia, who has been in the Bundestag since 2002, is suspected of having earned a commission of 660,000 euros in a mask deal through a network of middlemen - untaxed.
Nüßlein is said to have campaigned for a supplier of protective masks at the Federal Ministry of Health and the Bavarian Ministry of Health last spring.
An employee of this manufacturer is also being investigated.
The major order had also come about, reports “ThePioneer”.
The federal government bought masks on a large scale in 2020 - the number is in the billions.
700 companies got a chance - and one of them could, according to the initial suspicion of the Munich Public Prosecutor's Office, have obtained protection from Georg Nüßlein.
“As part of this investigation”, “13 properties in Germany and Liechtenstein” were searched yesterday.
These included Nüßlein’s private house in Münsterhausen near Günzburg and the CSU office there.
According to "Spiegel", MPs Axel Müller, Carsten Müller and Stefan Kaufmann (all CDU) were brought to Swabia to be there during the search.
The procedure with parliamentary witnesses is stipulated by law
Nüßlein: Rooms of the Union faction searched
Because Nüßlein is, after all, vice-parliamentary group, rooms of the Union parliamentary group were also searched;
not pleasant for the Chancellor's party in the Bundestag.
Investigators have been on site for hours, eyewitnesses say.
The investigation should drag on through the election year.
There is great horror in the Union.
Nüßlein had not yet been noticed as Raffke.
What he officially states in terms of additional income seemed manageable, as well as an honorary board member of the Krumbach fishing cooperative.
He apparently ran the deal through his Berlin company Tectum Holding.
“That doesn't sound harmless,” says one participant who knows parts of the investigation files.
The suspicion of having enriched oneself in a mask deal is devastating for politicians.
Nüßlein himself dives.
He briefly explains to the BR that the allegations are "baseless".
In the morning in the Bundestag you can see the top of the CSU state group standing together with gloomy expressions.
The statement is thin: presumption of innocence, had no knowledge.
The process is “incredibly stupid”, they say in a low voice.
The CSU MP Alois Rainer is "surprised".
The AfD rejoices over "Klüngelwirtschaft", rises to the expression "war profiteer".
SPD parliamentary group vice Katja Mast called for clarity: "If there is even a suspicion that a member of the German Bundestag enriched himself personally from the corona crisis, this is a very serious, serious accusation that must be fully clarified."
Search in the rooms of politician Nüßlein: Evidence is now being evaluated
Update from February 25, 3:45 p.m.:
According to information from security
circles,
more than 30 officials from the State Criminal Police Office and tax investigation were involved in the searches in Bavaria alone.
The seized evidence will now be evaluated.
The
dpa
reports
with reference to the General Prosecutor's Office in Munich.
Nüßlein himself did not respond on Thursday to several inquiries from the
German Press Agency
with a request for an opinion.
Update from February 25th, 3 p.m .:
"If there is even a suspicion that a member of the German Bundestag enriches himself personally from the Corona crisis, then this is a very serious, serious accusation that needs to be fully clarified," tweeted Katja Mast, leader of the SPD parliamentary group.
The parliamentary manager of the FDP parliamentary group, Marco Buschmann, also wrote on Twitter: “In the Nüßlein case, the judiciary has to do its job.
Politically, a lobby register is becoming more and more urgent.
After the allegations against Amthor, this is already the second case that throws a bad light on the exercise of mandate by Union MPs for their own business advantage. "
Allegations against CSU politician Nüßlein - Munich Public Prosecutor's Office provides information
Update from February 25, 1:45 p.m.:
As the Munich Public Prosecutor's Office announced at the request of
Münchner Merkurs
, an investigation is currently being carried out against two suspects in connection with the purchase of corona masks because of the initial suspicion of bribery and bribery of elected representatives.
Previously, the Bundestag lifted the immunity of CSU politician Georg Nüßlein.
On Thursday, 13 objects in Germany and in Lichtenstein will be searched, said the chief public prosecutor.
Evidence is secured and evaluated.
The General Public Prosecutor's Office always investigates the allegation of bribery.
The
picture
reports that on Thursday afternoon the private house of Georg Nüßlein in the district of Günzburg was searched by investigators from the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office and the Munich Public Prosecutor's Office.
Members of the Bundestag Carsten Müller (Lower Saxony) and Axel Müller (Baden-Württemberg) are on site as witnesses.
The second accused is apparently an employee of the mask manufacturer.
Update from February 25th, 1:30 pm:
"The lifting of immunity is a normal process in order to be able to conduct investigations.
As always, the presumption of innocence applies in such cases. ”A CSU spokesman told
Bild
.
In the Bundestag debate on Thursday, Nüßlein, as a health politician in his parliamentary group, should actually have spoken on the subject of rapid tests.
His colleague Stephan Pilsinger now takes on the task.
Suspicion against Georg Nüßlein: CSU men hit hard allegations about a corona mask deal
Update from February 25, 1 p.m.: In
response to a dpa request, the Munich Public Prosecutor's Office said that it was being investigated against two suspects in connection with the purchase of corona face masks because of the initial suspicion of bribery and bribery of mandate holders.
The investigating authority did not mention the name Nüßlein.
“As part of this investigation, 13 objects in Germany and Liechtenstein will be searched on Thursday and evidence will be seized, which will then be evaluated,” explained the Chief Public Prosecutor Klaus Ruhland.
Update from February 25, 12.45:
According to reports from
Bild
, the commission amount of currently assumed 650,000 euros went to Georg Nüßlein's company Tectum Holding GmbH, which is located in Bavaria.
The money is said not to have been taxed, is among other things the allegation of the Munich Public Prosecutor's Office that this company apparently charged a consultant fee above the amount mentioned.
However, further details are not yet known.
The money was apparently not transferred directly from the mask manufacturer, but via possible middlemen or companies, the
picture
claims to have learned.
So far, the Nüßlein case has been suspected.
CSU man suspected: searches at Georg Nüßlein - Bundestag lifts his immunity
Update from February 25th, 12.30 p.m.:
The rooms of the deputy chairman of the CDU / CSU parliamentary group, Georg Nüßlein, are searched.
The Bundestag had previously lifted its immunity.
The allegation of bribery in a corona mask deal is made against him.
Bild Live
recently mentioned a commission sum of possibly 650,000 euros.
The
Augsburger Allgemeine
claims to have found out
an equal amount
from the judiciary
.
First report from February 25, 11.40 a.m.:
Berlin - The Bundestag has lifted the immunity of CSU member Georg Nüßlein.
This approved the execution of judicial search and seizure decisions, as can be seen from the recommendation for a resolution that was unanimously adopted on Thursday.
Nüßlein, who represents the Neu-Ulm constituency, could not be reached for a statement on Thursday.
The immunity of CSU politician Georg Nüßlein lifted - raid on his premises on suspicion of bribery
As ntv and
Bild
report, Nüßlein is said to have brokered a manufacturer for corona masks to the federal government and the Bavarian state government.
The 51-year-old is said to have received a six-figure commission and not paid tax on it.
The
picture
names a possible sum of 600,000 euros.
The parliament's office as well as his apartment in Berlin and the constituency office in Günzburg of the health politician are to be searched.
As
Spiegel
reports, the attorney general in Munich confirmed that a total of 13 rooms will be searched for evidence.
This is an initial suspicion of bribery, writes the magazine.
(aka)
List of rubric lists: © Bernd von Jutrczenka / dpa