The debate surrounding substantial contracts awarded for personal protective equipment early in the COVID-19 pandemic has intensified, with the Union faction proposing the establishment of an inquiry commission rather than a parliamentary investigatory committee.
Steffen Bilger, parliamentary group secretary of the Union faction, stated to the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” that a committee comprised solely of politicians is a standard tool employed by opposition parties. He argued that an inquiry commission offers the potential for a more objective and non-partisan review of the pandemic, leveraging the expertise of external specialists. The stated goal is not to assign political blame, but to accept responsibility and better prepare the nation for future crises.
This proposition follows calls from both the Green Party and the Left Party for an investigatory committee. These calls were prompted by reporting in the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”, NDR and WDR concerning the unredacted version of the “Sudhof Report”. The report aims to examine the procurement processes for protective masks during the pandemic and to assess the role of then-Health Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) in the awarding of the large-scale contracts.
Heidi Reichinnek, parliamentary group leader of the Left Party, told the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” that if the Union is unwilling to facilitate transparency, the Social Democratic Party (SPD) should step in and enable an investigatory committee. She emphasized the minimum requirement is a complete elucidation of any personal influence exerted by Spahn and the acceptance of responsibility. Janosch Dahmen, Green Party health policy spokesperson, echoed this sentiment in a separate interview with the newspaper.
