Olaf Scholz: Ukraine war to cum-ex scandal - the chancellor at the summer press conference
Created: 08/11/2022 08:27
By: Andreas Apetz
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD).
© Christophe Gateau/dpa/archive image
On Thursday, Chancellor Olaf Scholz will answer critical questions from the capital's journalists.
It should also be about his role in the Cum-Ex scandal.
Berlin – The summer press conference has become a traditional appointment for the chancellor.
Angela Merkel (CDU) took the time every year at the beginning of her vacation to answer questions from Berlin journalists.
Olaf Scholz (SPD) continues the practices of his predecessor.
On Thursday (11 August), the Chancellor will take part in the question and answer session in the capital for the first time.
The variety of topics ranges from the Ukraine war and the Corona crisis to a cum-ex scandal.
Summer press conference with Olaf Scholz: Questions about the Ukraine war and the energy crisis
A dominant topic is likely to be the Ukraine conflict and its consequences for Germany.
The debate about the delivery of heavy weapons to Ukraine has recently been hotly debated.
One of the protagonists of this discussion: Olaf Scholz, who behaved extremely cautiously and is said to be blocking arms deliveries.
The gas crisis continues: How will Germany get through the winter in terms of energy in view of the severely curtailed gas supplies from Russia?
Can other gas producers step in?
Is the final exit from nuclear energy at risk by the end of the year?
Chancellor Scholz should have prepared for these or similar questions in view of the press conference.
There are also big question marks when it comes to inflation.
Even if there is enough energy for all households and for industry, it will always be expensive.
Probably even more expensive than today.
There are also increases in food prices.
In view of these developments, is the traffic light relief package enough?
Or does it have to be refilled in autumn?
In advance, the CDU chairman Friedrich Merz teased against the relief strategies of the traffic light coalition.
“It would have been better to give a little more to households that are really in need, rather than handing out money with a watering can.
In my view, this is the completely wrong approach.
That puts a strain on the federal budget and not enough goes to those who really need support," Merz told the German Press Agency.
Olaf Scholz in Berlin: Union demands clarification in the cum-ex scandal
Things get exciting when it comes to the Cum-Ex scandal and the role of Olaf Scholz.
The Hamburg tax affair from 2016 and 2017. After meetings in 2016 and 2017 with the bank shareholders Christian Olearius and Max Warburg in Scholz's office, the tax authorities had allowed a tax reclaim of 47 million euros against the bank to expire.
"Olaf Scholz has to explain himself," demanded Paralemts Managing Director Thorsten Frei (CDU) at the editorial network Germany (RND).
The "gaps in memory" of the meetings with bankers cannot be explained, criticizes Frei.
Now there is also the cash finding of former SPD MP Johannes Kahrs.
Here, too, Scholz should prepare for some probing questions.
It could be a foretaste of August 19, when he has to testify again as a witness in the Parliamentary Investigative Committee of the Hamburg Parliament.
(aa/dpa)
