In June 2022, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz was interviewed at the Republica digital conference in Berlin. On stage, he spoke to the media and specialist audience about Germany’s deficits in digitization. The journalist and TV presenter Linda Zervakis asked him the questions. Reports now suggest that the Chancellery itself had an impact on the moderator selection.
The fact that Linda Zervakis moderated the conversation with Scholz is like that taz writes, had been the wish of the Chancellery. Zervakis is said to have received money from the Chancellery for this: Der taz According to this, it was a flat-rate fee of EUR 1130.50 gross. This sum has a government spokesman taz communicated this week. The daily newspaper had previously gone before the Berlin Administrative Court because the Chancellery had refused to provide information about the payment of the moderation with reference to “company and business secrets”. As the taz writes that the Chancellery anticipated an imminent judgment by the court.
The Chancellery is said not to have disclosed how the flat-rate costs are broken down
The chancellery wanted that taz according to not disclose how the payment was broken down exactly. “The flat-rate fee should cover all costs incurred by Ms. Zervakis and her team,” the newspaper quoted a government spokesman as saying.
Linda Zervakis is also said to have tried through her lawyer, the taz to prohibit reporting on the payment: “Already on the day the research was published online, a letter came from her lawyer,” says the most recent article on the subject. In court, Zervakis’ manager is said to have assured the court in an affidavit: “The all-in fee included – exclusively – costs incurred by Linda Zervakis in connection with moderating the conversation with Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the re:publica Berlin on June 9, 2022.”
The taz points out that it is unusual for Republica to pay fees for moderation. Now the accusation is being raised that the high lump sum paid by the Chancellery could be a disguised payment of fees. Apparently, Zervakis did not need the money for travel expenses and accommodation: The taz refers to documents that are supposed to prove that Zervakis’ broadcaster Pro Sieben took over the train journey for his presenter to Berlin and that the stay in Berlin lasted only six hours.