Unraveling the Spahn Controversy: Greens Slam Health Minister Warken over Mask Deal
Health Minister Warken faces accusations from the Greens party, alleging mismanagement and neglect in the health sector.
Let's dive into the drama surrounding the mask procurement during the COVID-19 pandemic and the alleged shady dealings of former health minister, Jens Spahn, and the current health minister, Nina Warken, refusing to disclose details. The Greens theatrically accuse Warken of covering up the truth, labeling it as "disgraceful" and "rotten to the core."
Green Party's faction leader, Britta Haßelmann, unleashes a scathing attack, demanding the immediate release of the internal investigative report on mask procurement by Jens Spahn. This intense pressure comes from the eye-popping claim that taxpayers' money went up in flames during the mask procurement saga, possibly even surpassing the financial blow dealt by the car toll scandal of former federal transport minister Andreas Scheuer.
Haßelmann obsessively demands accountability for Spahn's actions during the pandemic, especially focusing on the "responsibility for the decisions and contracts awarded" by Spahn. The heat is on, with accusations from the NDR, WDR, and "Süddeutsche Zeitung" (SZ) suggesting that Spahn is in hot water over a 1.5 billion euro contract awarded to a logistics company, Fiege, from his home state of North Rhine-Westphalia, without any competitive bidding whatsoever.
Things get juicier as the SZ reports that the federal interior ministry warned Spahn against hiring Fiege at the time due to concerns over its capabilities, and there were objections within the government's crisis staff, which Spahn blatantly ignored. The end result? A procurement project that ultimately tanked, allegedly costing the federal government a staggering billion dollars, with many masks ending up as waste.
But, here's the twist: The Sudhoff report, a detailed 170-page report by the special commissioner appointed by former federal health minister, Karl Lauterbach, has been in existence since April 2025, but remains shrouded in mystery, with no public release in sight.
Sources: ntv.de, als/AFP
- Jens Spahn
- Karl Lauterbach
- Nina Warken
- COVID-19 Pandemic
- Face Masks
- Britta Haßelmann
- Mask Procurement Scandal
The Commission is also proposing to extend the scope of the investigation into the mask procurement scandal to include the role of science and medical-conditions, given the crucial nature of these areas during the COVID-19 pandemic. This expanded inquest could potentially uncover details about the decisions made by Jens Spahn and current Health Minister Nina Warken, as well as their handling of general-news relating to health-and-wellness. The Green Party, led by Britta Haßelmann, has advocated for a broader investigation, calling for transparency and accountability in politics.
