2024-07-18 04:20:53
During the coronavirus pandemic, the government ordered several billion protective masks. The case is controversial. Now a special representative is to “fundamentally review” the process.
Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) has appointed a special representative to investigate the controversial order of several billion protective masks at the beginning of the corona pandemic. He has appointed the former State Secretary in the Ministry of Justice and Defense, Margaretha Sudhof (SPD), as the investigation officer for the mask processes, Lauterbach told the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” (FAZ) on Friday. This person should “fundamentally work through the failures from the last legislative period and make them transparent”.
The minister stressed: “She is now clearing out the house, going into every nook and cranny.” Within a few months, the lawyer will present him with a report that could also have personnel consequences. Lauterbach apparently sees major shortcomings during the term of office of his predecessor Jens Spahn (CDU). “If mistakes were made, then they have to be brought to light, and that clearly seems to have been the case,” the SPD politician told the newspaper.
The documentation on the procurement of masks is “highly problematic”. It must also be clarified why, even after the procurement stop in the so-called open house procedure, further direct contracts were concluded due to excessive delivery commitments. According to current knowledge, Spahn set the high purchase price of 4.50 euros per mask. Lauterbach announced that he would clarify this suspicion against Spahn: “For this purpose, the files are now also being secured, archived and evaluated.”
Lauterbach rejects a settlement with suing mask suppliers who accuse the ministry of not paying and breaking contracts. After a critical report by the Federal Audit Office and the defeat before the Cologne Higher Regional Court, the ministry is now considering taking the case to the Federal Court of Justice, the SPD politician announced in the “FAZ”.
It is about averting a possible loss of 2.3 billion euros: “I am the one who is trying to clear up the mess and at the same time keep the damage to the taxpayer as low as possible.”