Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck takes part in the session of the Bundestag. © Kay Nietfeld/dpa
The Green politician once again defends his state secretary Patrick Graichen. Previously, both spoke at a meeting of the Economic Committee of the Bundestag.
In the affair surrounding his state secretary Patrick Graichen, Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck has once again accused the opposition in the Bundestag of using the case to stop the climate protection plans of the traffic light government.
With this goal in mind, "insinuations, insults, sometimes lies" were spread "with a harshness and almost malice," said the Green politician in the evening in the ARD "Tagesthemen". "And I'm not willing to sacrifice people to give in to this campaign."
Graichen was involved in the selection of Michael Schäfer as the new managing director of the state-owned German Energy Agency (Dena), although he was his best man. "We are dealing with the problem openly," Habeck said. Graichen and he had acknowledged mistakes. The procedure for personnel selection is now to be reopened.
Meeting of the Economic Committee
Habeck accuses his political opponents of linking the personnel with the criticism of the planned new building energy law. In essence, the law stipulates that from 2024 onwards, 65 percent of every newly installed heating system should be powered by renewable energies. The most important technology for this is the heat pump. "The opposition has decided to fight for oil and gas heating and is using this very personnel to lead this fight," Habeck said in the broadcast. "I'd like to separate things - whether I can get away with it, whether it's going to be successful, we'll see,"
Together with Graichen, Habeck answered questions from members of the Committees on Economic Affairs and Climate Protection and Energy on Wednesday. Graichen asserted that he had not given Schäfer or other candidates any hints or advantages. However, it was a mistake that he did not withdraw from the procedure because of Schäfer's candidacy.
Opposition representatives were unimpressed after the meeting and demanded further clarification or Graichen's dismissal. There was also criticism, for example, of personnel interdependencies in the Ministry of Economic Affairs. Graichen's sister, who is married to his colleague Michael Kellner, works like her brother at the Oeko-Institut - a research institution that receives orders from the federal government. The ministry emphasizes that Kellner and Graichen were not involved in tenders for which the Oeko-Institut could have applied. Dpa