Berlin. On Thursday afternoon, the German Bundestag discussed the procurement of protective masks at the start of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic at the current time. Members of all parliamentary groups complained about the need for clarification. AfD and Alliance Sarah Wagenknecht called for a commission of inquiry. Deputies from the left and the FDP created a study commission. This was not a court, it was stated.
Andreas Audretsch (Greens) spoke of a “buying spree” and a “disaster” related to the acquisition of masks. The then Minister of Health found himself exposed to a “blame game”, said Stephan Pilsinger (CSU).
The coalition partner SPD has always been there
“This is not a witch hunt,” SPD MP Martina Stamm-Fiebich called on her colleagues to treat the then Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) fairly. She followed the plenary debate within the Union faction. The union MPs stressed that the SPD supported decisions at the beginning of the Corona period, including the then Finance Minister and current Chancellor Olaf Scholz. SPD health policy spokeswoman Heike Baehrens said that the principle “in dubio pro reo” also applies to Jens Spahn. There was no roadmap for a situation like the one at the beginning of the pandemic.
In fact, the Health Ministry, headed at the time by Jens Spahn, ordered more than five billion FFP-2 masks, of which almost three billion have already been destroyed and 1.7 billion are about to be destroyed. According to statements by the Bundestag, 1.7 billion pieces have been distributed in Germany. The amounts spent on this are not yet entirely clear: the figures mentioned are between 5.7 and 6.4 billion euros. The unit prices were around 4.50 euros. The Federal Audit criticized the procedures.
CDU: There would only be losses if the deal were completed
The ministry also failed to pay some of the bills. This represents around 2.3 billion euros, with interest possibly up to 3.5 billion. This is what was reported in the debate. “The loss would only have occurred if BMG had accepted all the deliveries,” argued the Union.
Around 100 cases are still pending in court. Reason: According to the specifications of the open house procedure at the time, deliveries should have arrived by April 30, 2020. There is a dispute regarding deliveries received late, not accepted and defective deliveries.
Greens: save money for taxpayers
The health policy spokesman for the Union parliamentary group, Tino Sorge, therefore stressed that “the amounts in dispute are not equal to the fines”. There are already rulings in favour of BMG. “The damage would only have occurred if the deliveries had been accepted. Green MP Dr. Paula Piechotta told Ärzte Zeitung: “Given the cost risks in mask lawsuits, we are trying to save the German taxpayer as much money as possible.”
At the end of the current hour, the victim took the opportunity to make a statement: At the beginning of the pandemic there was chaos all over the world. There were no more masks on the market. The largest supplier, namely China, isolated itself, Spahn said, describing the situation at the time. From today’s perspective, he would no longer recommend open bidding. “I envy those who, looking back, always knew everything,” said Jens Spahn. (af)