This was confirmed by a spokesman for the authority on Wednesday evening, previously reported by the news magazine “Der Spiegel”. A Greens spokesman also confirmed that there were investigations. It is about the participation of the members of the federal executive board in decisions on the payment of so-called “corona bonuses”, it said.
The party spokesman explained that these were paid to all employees of the federal office and at the same time to the federal executive board in 2020.
In addition to the party leaders Annalena Baerbock and Robert Habeck, the Greens board also includes Michael Kellner, Jamila Schaefer, Ricarda Lang and Marc Urbatsch. At the party conference at the end of next week, a new national board will be elected.
According to the Greens spokesman, the board was entitled to make the relevant decisions “from the point of view of all those involved”. The members have since repaid the bonuses. “The board members concerned and the federal office are cooperating fully with the public prosecutor’s office in order to clarify the matter quickly and completely.”
All employees of the German Federal Office of the Greens received the Corona bonus of 1,500 euros per person last winter. He was supposed to compensate for the burdens that arose from working in the home office and the renovation of the building.
The prosecutor’s spokesman said there had been several criminal complaints from private sources. The investigations have been running since January 6th. Internal party auditors had already objected to the payments.
Source: Nachrichten
