As of: 04/20/2023 4:22 p.m
Union, Linke and AfD want to roll up the tax affair about the Warburg Bank in the Bundestag. The SPD does not consider the federal government to be responsible. Another committee will now decide. The traffic light coalition has the majority of votes there.
SPD, Greens and FPD could possibly prevent the committee of inquiry into the financial scandal at the Hamburg Warburg Bank planned by the opposition. The Bundestag referred the Union’s request for the establishment of a committee of inquiry to Parliament’s Rules of Procedure Committee.
From the SPD’s point of view, the federal government is not responsible for many points that should be examined more closely. In the Rules of Procedure body, the Union can – not as usual – set up a committee of inquiry with at least a quarter of the votes, but needs a majority, which the three traffic light groups can prevent.
The Union could then have this checked before the Federal Constitutional Court, or all factions could agree on a slimmed-down commission from the committee of inquiry.
SPD and FDP reported legal concerns
In the Bundestag debate, the SPD and FDP expressed legal concerns: It is questionable whether the Bundestag should be allowed to investigate this Hamburg matter at all.
In addition, all questions in the committee there have long since been answered. “The CDU/CSU is not concerned with gaining knowledge, but with pure propaganda against Olaf Scholz,” criticized SPD MP Michael Schrodi.
The Green MP Katharina Beck also emphasized that the “Cum-Ex” scandal itself must be further investigated. However, hardly any gains in knowledge can be expected from a Bundestag committee. The Union is not about education, but about political motives.
Union, Linke and AfD for underground committee
The Union, on the other hand, argued that despite the similar committee in Hamburg, there were still many open questions and contradictions. The federal government has more opportunities for clarification and must therefore take action.
Scholz has so far shown no will to clarify, criticized CDU MP Matthias Hauer and now wants to draw a line. The Left Party and the AfD also support the concerns of the Union.
Refund of taxes never paid
According to the Union’s request, the committee of inquiry should clarify whether there was political influence on the Warburg Bank tax affair when Scholz was mayor of Hamburg.
The bank was involved in the “Cum-Ex” scandal and had received a tax refund from the state that had never been paid before. The Hamburg tax authority initially refrained from recovering millions. According to a court ruling, the bank later paid all outstanding amounts.
Meeting with co-partner Olearius
During this time, Scholz met the bank’s co-partner, Christian Olearius, several times. After that, the refund was waived. Today’s chancellor categorically rules out any influence on the tax case.
At the same time, during his two interrogations before the investigative committee of the Hamburg Parliament, he stated that he could no longer remember the conversations at the time.