CSU and FW support NSU committee – Bavaria

The government factions support the setting up of a second committee of inquiry into the National Socialist Underground (NSU) terrorist cell. On Wednesday, the CSU nominated its MP Josef Schmid as designated vice-chairman of the U-committee. Although one is “skeptical” that after such a long time it will really be possible to provide new insights, Schmidt said; especially since there have already been more than a dozen committees on the NSU complex in the federal and state governments. However, the CSU faces up to this challenge “with great commitment and ambition”. We owe that to the victims of the unprecedented series of attacks and murders. Florian Streibl, parliamentary group leader of the Free Voters, said when asked that U-committees and court proceedings “a lot has already been uncovered and sentenced” – “but in the case of right-wing terror, it is appropriate for a defensive democracy to take a very close look”.

At the beginning of the week, the Greens and SPD had presented their schedule and a concrete list of questions for the committee. The body with judicial powers is scheduled to start its work in May, after approval in the plenary session. The Greens and SPD together have the 20 percent of the mandates that are needed for the appointment. In the past, the government factions had not rejected the request per se, but had raised doubts as to whether the renewed processing in Parliament could actually produce results. After a period of reflection, which the CSU and FW had requested in the Council of Elders, the approval is now certain – albeit with residual doubts, as can be read from the statements. On the other hand, a refusal on such a topic would probably not have presented a good image.

In 2011, the NSU was blown, for more than a decade the right-wing extremist terror group was able to murder ten people undetected; in Bavaria alone five men of Turkish or Greek origin in Nuremberg and Munich. There was already a U-committee on the NSU in the state parliament, it ended in 2013. After that, further information came to light through court processes, other U-committees and research. Greens and SPD see numerous unanswered questions, such as the role of the security authorities, the supporter environment and the continuing right-wing extremist structures in Bavaria. The designated head of the committee, Toni Schuberl (Greens), said the state parliament should “not pass on” its responsibility for further clarification.

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