Searches at SPD top candidate Krach over corruption suspicion
Hanover prosecutors are investigating Steffen Krach and searched premises in Hanover and Berlin. Krach dismisses the allegations as baseless.
Investigations against Berlin SPD top candidate Krach
Hanover prosecutors conducted searches on Wednesday at least three premises – including the private flat of Berlin SPD top candidate Steffen Krach in Berlin-Schöneberg, the headquarters of the Berlin SPD, and premises in Hanover. A spokesperson for the prosecutors' office confirmed this to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung: "We are conducting investigations against the suspended regional president and carried out searches today at one premises in Hanover and two premises in Berlin." The authorities made no statement on the specific criminal charges on grounds of investigative tactics. The Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung and der Tagesspiegel had reported the matter first.
Krach himself commented on the proceedings on Wednesday itself. In response to broadcaster RBB, he dismissed the allegations as "insinuations" and baseless: "I have nothing to hide." He wanted to co-operate fully with police and prosecutors and to insist on absolute transparency. He had only learned of the investigations that morning; details had not been communicated to him.
At the edge of a campaign event, Krach described the course of the early-morning search of his flat. The investigators had rung the doorbell while he was on the telephone with Berlin's interior senator regarding the capital financing agreement. "In that second, someone took the telephone from my ear," he reported. Three or four officers had approached him. His mobile telephone was seized; he did not yet know at the time of his statement which other items had been taken.
Krach emphasised the personal impact the morning had had on his family. "I have small children at home, they experienced all of it this morning," he said. "That does something to a four-year-old, to a twelve-year-old, my wife was also at home." Nevertheless, he subsequently attended a panel discussion with the top candidates – the officers had remained in his flat.
Krach himself contextualised the thematic background of the investigations: he assumed it concerned corruption, specifically the sale of a site belonging to the Hanover Region hospital. As regional president, Krach was chairman of the supervisory board of this municipal hospital network. He had proposed constructing a regional health centre on the site in question, which had also been implemented following a regular tendering procedure. One bidder had been awarded the contract, another had not.
"It now appears to be suggested that I allowed myself to be influenced in some way," said Krach, and firmly rejected this: "I have in no way whatsoever accepted any sum from this bidder, neither privately nor as SPD state chairman, ever." A donation of €9,500 – from the unsuccessful bidder – he had transferred back within 24 hours.
According to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, the land in question is a site of approximately 30,000 square metres of the former hospital in Lehrte. It went to a regional business group that had prevailed over a company from the likewise regionally located Burgdorf in the tendering process. Hanover prosecutors had already searched in May the business and private premises of the managing director of this business group; the investigations relate among other things to the suspicion of anti-competitive agreements.
The starting point of the investigations was an improved offer that the Burgdorf company had sent to the hospital network's supervisory board shortly after a preliminary decision in favour of its competitor. According to prosecutors, the offer was €700,000 higher than that of the later winner. The authorities are investigating the suspicion that information about the competing offer had previously been passed on to the Burgdorf company. The Burgdorf company had previously attempted to challenge its loss in the tendering process before the procurement chamber and in court.
Steffen Krach continues to serve as president of Hanover Region – a municipal association with more than 1.1 million inhabitants – but has been on unpaid leave for some time due to his campaign as Berlin SPD top candidate. The presumption of innocence applies.
Source: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung