The Ministry of Defense admits the trip in the government helicopter, but rejects the accusation that the family used the machine for purely private purposes.
Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) is under pressure to explain after letting her son fly in a government helicopter. Of the Business Insider reports on his website under the headline “Easter vacation on Sylt: Son of Defense Minister Lambrecht traveled in a government helicopter”. It also states that the minister was already in Schleswig-Holstein that day. This raises the accusation that the family would have used the readiness to fly purely for private purposes. The ministry contradicted this on Monday: “Federal minister and her family members flew together,” said a spokesman.
According to the ministry, on April 13 Lambrecht had visited the troops, among other things, at the Battalion Electronic Warfare 911 in North Friesland and had himself flown by helicopter from the Berlin office to Ladelund. The ministry acknowledged that there was a family member’s flight that day. Business Insider published a photo that should show the son on this flight, it should come from his Instagram account. The entry is therefore dated April 15 and provided with the comment: “Happy Easter”. Minister Lambrecht actually spent Easter on Sylt. A spokesman at the ministry announced that Lambrecht and her son had by no means flown on vacation by helicopter.
Only the Federal President, Chancellor and Foreign Minister can take accompanying persons with them free of charge
The use of the readiness to fly is regulated: The corresponding directive states that the aircraft and helicopters may only be requested “in the exercise of their official duties” and only “if the purpose of the trip cannot be achieved using public transport or motor vehicles , or if other mandatory official business cannot be carried out without using the aircraft of the readiness to fly”. According to the directive, the Federal President, the Federal Chancellor and the Foreign Minister have the right to take “personal companions” with them free of charge.
In Lambrecht’s case, the son is said to have been treated as an “other companion”. This means that the costs were billed to him. An amount equal to the normal fare for Lufthansa, economy class, is used as the assessment basis. There was initially talk of a low three-digit sum, but the ministry declined to provide information on this question.
The ministry said the passenger list had been sent from Lambrecht’s office to the responsible state secretary on April 8. “The reimbursement of costs is said to have been clearly noted”. “The Federal Minister has assumed 100 percent of the costs in accordance with the guideline,” said a spokesman. Flight and reimbursement would have taken place “in full compliance with the guidelines”.