Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen sticks to scandal sailor "Gorch Fock". Despite massive cost increases and solid allegations of corruption against a Bundeswehr prize inspector and the boards of the Elsflether shipyard, the CDU politician wants to get the sail training ship again by the summer of 2020 seaworthy.
On Tuesday morning, Leyen briefed departmental politicians on the grand coalition about their plans. Participants said it was the decommissioning of the "Gorch Fock" despite the chaos currently no option. Rather, von der Leyen wants to continue the work, but under close observation.
Specifically, von der Leyen wants the shipyard to let the hull of the ship return to the water for the first time after three years for the so-called trial docking in April, thus proving that at least the steel work was successful. Thereafter, so the hope, could still be rehabilitated for the agreed price of 135 million euros.
Currently, the "Gorch Fock" is disassembled in Bremerhaven, the steel hull in the dry dock of Bredow shipyard. Already completed masts, the sails and a new engine are nearby at other companies. Von der Leyen had visited the construction sites last week unannounced to get a picture of the situation and pressure on the yard.
DPA
Ursula von der Leyen visits the "Gorch Fock"
The history of the renovation is closely linked with the Minister. In 2015 she had commissioned the repair for originally 10 million euros. Then new damage was discovered. At the same time the costs increased. Twice drew from the Leyen from the continuation of the project. Last 2018. Meanwhile, one arrived at 135 million euros.
For the reformer, every detail of the drama is annoying. Instead of the scriptwriting of their tight risk management, the "Gorch Fock" was all set for an old routine. The Federal Court of Auditors complains that the damage has never been correctly assessed. Instead, the rescue of the sailor was pushed through - no matter what.
Over the years, the pattern continued. Thus, according to the examiners, the line of the navy indicated "a complete misunderstanding of the situation or the absolute will to continue operation of the 'Gorch Fock'. In the end, the Minister received templates with frilly numbers, which she signed off, because the renovation appeared expensive but completely no alternative.
No turning back
Now, of the Leyen, because of the consultant affair already counted, in front of a pile of shit. Before the coalition, she reported that around 80 million of the 135 million budget have already been spent. The audience was left with the fatal impression that there is no going back, because so much money has already been spent.
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Segelschulschiff: What will become of the "Gorch Fock"?Von der Leyen also reported chaotic conditions at the general contractor. According to a detailed audit report of a Hamburg-based business law firm, "assets have been diverted from the Elsflether shipyard into the private assets of their board members" via a handful of specially founded sub-companies.
The trick sounds simple: The boards granted their own companies with fancy names such as "Rychfield" or "InterMARtec" some generous loans that were never repaid. Also by orders of the yard benefited the sub-companies, which were partly logged on to the wife of a board, here, too, suspected cash outflows.
Similarly, a Federal Armed Forces Auditor was awarded 800,000 euros. The civil servant who was supposed to control the "Gorch Fock" project received a tranche as loan from the board of the Elsflether shipyard, the other from one of the subcontractors. The judiciary investigates him and the boards for bribery.
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There are two hypotheses why the examiner got the money. Thus, the board members may have bribed the Bundeswehr man, so he abnickt questionable cost increases for the sailing ship. It is also possible that the price inspector had discovered the dubious money shifts of the boards and in turn wanted to benefit from the system.
Von der Leyen can only hope that the shipyard quickly comes in calmer waters. After all, the dubious executives should soon be replaced and replaced by new managers. If all goes well, after the self-cleaning the shipyard could in the best case continue the renovation and finish within the time and cost frame until 2020.
From the Leyens reputation is damaged
The affair with the plan alone is not over. Any further breakdown in the reorganization will be directly charged to the Minister, even if it is only minor matters. In addition, von der Leyen has to ask herself whether she was advised on other arms projects by her own house at a similar angle as in the case of the "Gorch Fock".
Von der Leyen's reputation as a perfectionist has already suffered damage. "The Minister has to explain why all control mechanisms in her house have failed, but because of the enormous cost increases would have sounded alarm bells," said SPD defense politician Siemtje Möller.
Möller can not ask the Minister directly for the time being. In the defense committee of the Bundestag on this Wednesday sends of the Leyen their two state secretaries.