The Berlin Public Prosecutor's Office investigates the leadership of Los Verdes, including two Scholz ministers, for irregular payments to party workers

Green co-leaders Annalena Baerbock and Robert Habeck (second from left) in an image taken during negotiations to form the coalition government led by Olaf Scholz, center. FABRIZIO BENSCH (Reuters)

The Berlin Public Prosecutor's Office has opened an investigation against the entire federal executive committee of Los Verdes, including two ministers of the new tripartite government of Olaf Scholz, for alleged embezzlement of party funds.

The party leadership approved a special payment of 1,500 euros to several of its employees in 2020, a kind of bonus or gratuity with the aim of compensating for the extra burden of working from home due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Economy and Climate Minister Robert Habeck are among those under investigation as they belong to the party's six-member federal executive board in their capacity as co-chairs of the party.

The bonuses for the pandemic, or

, as the German media called them, in the Greens became known last year and already splashed Baerbock during the election campaign. The then candidate of the environmentalist formation had to give explanations for having declared late before the Bundestag additional income that she received from the party. In May, Baerbock admitted that it informed the Parliament of the 25,220 euros that it received as Christmas bonuses and other bonuses between 2018 and 2020 after the deadline. The delay did not entail a sanction, administrative or otherwise, but it damaged its image during the race for the chancellorship.

Now the extra payments have reached the Berlin Prosecutor's Office, which this Wednesday has confirmed the opening of an investigation because it suspects that an embezzlement of the green party's funds may have occurred. The public ministry initiated the investigations as a result of several complaints from individuals, according to its spokesman, Martin Steltner, who thus confirmed information advanced by

.

In addition to Baerbock and Habeck, vice presidents Jamila Schäfer and Ricarda Lang, manager Michael Kellner and treasurer Marc Urbatsch are under investigation.

Lang is one of the candidates to become the next co-president of the party, since the ministers will leave at the next congress as it is incompatible with their position in the Executive.

All except Urbatsch are at the same time deputies in the Bundestag.

The authorities are obliged to inform the Chamber when an investigation is opened against its members, which happened last December, according to

.

A spokesman for Los Verdes stated that the affected workers have already returned the bonuses and that the members of the executive and the employees of the headquarters "are fully cooperating with the Prosecutor's Office to clarify the matter."

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