Status: 04.07.2023 21:11
The SPD state chairwoman, Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig, has rejected criticism of how her state parliamentary group uses tax money. Schwesig said that legally everything went smoothly. The occasion is a major event of the SPD parliamentary group in the holiday resort of the husband of the deputy parliamentary group leader Christine Klingohr.
The SPD goes into attack mode and speaks of defamation. The FDP and AfD had previously criticized the awarding of contracts to the owner of the Golchener Hof, Jörg Klingohr. The Liberals spoke of a taste and advised the SPD parliamentary group to set up compliance rules that rule out awarding in the family environment. The SPD parliamentary group receives around 2.5 million euros a year for their parliamentary work, part of which they spend on public relations.
Transparency International for stricter rules
The anti-corruption agency Transparency International warned against the appearance of an advantage and also called for stricter rules. The state audit office, which checks the use of the parliamentary group funds, was also critical. SPD faction leader Julian Barlen considers the reporting on the award of the contract to be completely exaggerated and rejected it with sharp words. He ruled out misconduct by his group.
Further information
3 Min
On her state parliament website, the SPD politician refers to the Golchener Hof, run by her husband. 3 mins
Cost: Just under 60 euros per person
For the event, a so-called citizens’ forum, there was no alternative to the Golchener Hof. When asked whether he would choose the location again in view of the debate, Barlen said: “I don’t rule it out in principle because we have nothing to blame at this point.” While his parliamentary director Philipp da Cunha gave a wide berth about the total costs in an interview with the NDR Nordmagazin on Monday, Barlen gave information on Tuesday. The evening cost almost 60 euros per person. With 250 participants, that means: around 15,000 euros for room rental, food and drinks. That’s a normal market price, said Barlen.
Further information
Probably legal, but not legitimate: Corruption fighters criticize the SPD event in the hotel of the husband of parliamentary group leader Klingohr. more
Schwesig criticizes NDR reporting
Prime Minister Schwesig reacted angrily to the journalists’ question about the appropriateness of awarding the contract to the husband of parliamentary group deputy Klingohr and accused journalists of having something “against strong women in the SPD”. She rejected criticism of the way the group funds were handled with the remark that the SPD group had been holding public events for 15 years. She criticized the reporting of the NDR.
The broadcaster did not fully publish a “statement by the parliamentary group”. She failed to mention that when it comes to publications, the media concentrate on the essential statements and that there is no claim to completeness. A week ago, Schwesig was the center of attention at the Golchener Hof. She promoted the politics of the SPD and also presented the new senior citizen ticket as a success.
Klingohr: “Was not involved in the selection”
Four days after the first request, the deputy leader of the parliamentary group, Christine Klingohr, also responded. She, too, finds the reporting on her SPD faction’s awarding of contracts to her husband completely exaggerated. There were no other options for the group, which is why the Golchener Hof was chosen. Klingohr said: “I was not involved in choosing that.” The fact that the parliamentary group commissioned her husband was not nepotism. She doesn’t work there, but on Saturday mornings she serves the guests “but I also like to have a coffee in my free time”. And for the SPD parliamentary group leader, it’s no problem that she links directly to the tourism offers of her husband’s holiday resort from her MP’s homepage: “It’s not advertising.”
Further information
4 Min
The parliamentary manager of the SPD parliamentary group, Philipp da Cunha, comments in an interview on the local political evening of the SPD state parliamentary group in the “Golchener Hof” near Brüel. 4 mins
Too lax in dealing with faction funds? The Social Democrats have rented an event hall for a major event that belongs to the husband of the deputy parliamentary group leader. more
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NDR 1 Radio MV | News from Mecklenburg-West Pomerania | 04.07.2023 | 7:00 p.m