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Green treasurer Urbatsch: “a maximum political penalty”
Photo: Guido Kirchner / picture alliance / dpa
In retrospect, the Federal Treasurer of the Greens, Marc Urbatsch, considers the Corona payments to the party executive to be a mistake.
He said that on the second day of the Green Party Congress when presenting the party budget.
"One thing is clear: With today's knowledge, we would no longer make such a decision." Internal party criticism of the payments is "understandable and justified."
more on the subject
Investigations into suspected infidelity: The VerdruckstenAn analysis by Jonas Schaible
Like many companies, the Federal Center of the Greens paid special payments to their employees in the amount of 1,500 euros last year.
The bonus was intended to compensate for the burdens that arose from working from home.
The party leadership was apparently not entitled to this, the payments were already repaid last year.
Clumsiness turned into a potential criminal offence
Since the beginning of January, the federal prosecutor's office has been investigating the entire federal executive committee of the Greens, as reported by SPIEGEL.
The initial suspicion: infidelity.
This turned what was initially described as "clumsiness" into a possible criminal offense.
The resolution for the special payments was made by the outgoing federal board, which also includes Urbatsch.
The federal executive itself benefited from the decision. Ricarda Lang, who is up for election in the afternoon as part of the new chief duo of the Greens, also took the decision as deputy party leader.
A »political maximum penalty«
The reports on the investigations against the board "harmed us all," said Treasurer Urbatsch.
It was reported several times in the media.
"Having to deal with the subject three times is the maximum political penalty." The lawyers' advice was to say as little as possible about the ongoing proceedings, said Urbatsch.
This also requires respect for the investigating authorities.
Internal party auditors had also objected to the process.
In the end, the outgoing federal board was relieved – even if the reservations of more than a hundred online delegates were reflected in the voting results.
449 of them voted for discharge, 111 against, 70 abstained.
jlk/dpa
