Tarek Al-Wazir, the chairman of the Traffic Committee in the Bundestag (Green party), welcomed the fact that former Federal Minister for Transport Andreas Scheuer (CSU) must now face court charges concerning an alleged false statement related to the failed highway toll.
Al-Wazir told the news portal T-Online that it is positive that a judicial process will now clarify whether Scheuer lied to the German Bundestag during the investigation committee hearings. “An investigation committee is not a puppet show for public amusement; it is a control instrument of the parliament dedicated to the comprehensive investigation of alleged misconduct” Al-Wazir stated.
He insisted that anyone involved in lying must be held accountable. “It was always highly questionable that Andreas Scheuer could allegedly not recall the content of the crucial discussion regarding whether a ruling from the European Court of Justice should be awaited before a contract was signed”.
The Green politician added that, in addition to the financial damage caused, he found it equally frustrating that the issue of private car tolls had been politically damaged for years due to the “Scheuer debacle”. “Hopefully, this court case will also help lead this debate honestly and constructively” Al-Wazir added. He further pointed out that the Union party is responsible for overcoming the “chaos it created themselves and finding wise, substantive solutions, rather than merely focusing on election campaigns”.
The public prosecutor is accused Scheuer of giving a false statement before the Bundestag’s private car toll investigation committee. The court must now determine if this accusation is true, while insisting that the presumption of innocence applies to Scheuer.
