Transport Minister Wissing has fired a department head responsible for hydrogen projects. The reason is allegations of nepotism. An internal review initially dispelled the suspicion – but then new documents emerged.
After allegations of nepotism, Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing has replaced his head of hydrogen department. The FDP politician has decided to relieve Klaus Bonhoff of his duties with immediate effect, said State Secretary Stefan Schnorr in Berlin.
The reason given was that the “necessary relationship of trust between the minister and the department head no longer exists.” In addition, a head of department will be transferred within the ministry. The affair was triggered by media reports that Bonhoff had funded hydrogen projects worth millions in 2021 – with close personal connections to the beneficiaries.
Further awards are being reviewed
The ministry then started an internal investigation, the results of which, however, did not confirm the suspicion at the end of 2023. Schnorr now explained that, based on further media reports, it emerged that the department had not forwarded all the necessary documents and emails to the internal audit department.
Initial inspections of these documents revealed that there were significant inconsistencies with the other documents. In this specific case, the funding was around one million euros. However, further awards will now be reviewed.
On February 6th, the Federal Ministry of Transport rejected the new allegations. Schnorr had stated in a corresponding Spiegel report that there had been “no influence or misconduct whatsoever”. The latest reporting doesn’t change that.
Der Spiegel referred to internal emails that the ministry had given to the magazine on the basis of the Freedom of Information Act. Accordingly, the department head is said to have forwarded funding requests from a representative of a hydrogen association to subordinates in a familiar tone. The ministry also admitted that the official had verbally supported the request to the technical level, the report continued.
The case is reminiscent of the former State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Economics, Patrick Graichen. Economics Minister Robert Habeck also fired him in spring 2023 after allegations of nepotism in connection with funding projects.
Birthe Sönnichsen, ARD Berlin, tagesschau, February 15, 2024 5:17 p.m