Majority is emerging: does Halles OB have to go on time?

display

Halle (dpa / sa) - Before a special meeting of the city council in Halle, a majority is emerging that Halle's mayor Bernd Wiegand (independent) wants to release from his official business for a while.

That was the result of a survey by the German Press Agency.

Of the 56 city councilors, at least 32 are willing to follow the proposal of the Left, Greens, SPD and FDP in a special session in connection with the so-called vaccination affair on Monday (March 15).

The CDU parliamentary group, the largest with 10 city councilors, is still in the discussion process, said parliamentary group chairman Andreas Scholtyssek.

According to Scholtyssek, there is currently “a good deal in favor” of his parliamentary group agreeing to the motion.

The background is the premature corona vaccination of Wiegand as well as several city councils and members of the disaster management team.

Wiegand did not make his vaccination public immediately, but only weeks later.

According to the priority list of those eligible for vaccination set by the federal and state governments, Wiegand's turn would not have been yet.

During the processing of the early vaccinations, Wiegand became entangled in contradictions.

In addition, in the eyes of many city councils, the question arises whether Wiegand and the civil protection staff he heads had produced excess vaccination according to plan.

Wiegand had repeatedly made it clear in the past that he felt wrongly attacked.

"Nobody has to reproach themselves legally, in my opinion also morally, because otherwise the vaccine would have had to be destroyed," said the mayor on Tuesday.

The question arises, however, what is reprehensible: "To accept a vaccination dose that would otherwise expire, or to turn it into a political issue in order to remove a non-party OB from office."

display

The parliamentary groups of the Left, Greens, SPD and FDP want to stand as applicants behind the ban on conducting official business against Wiegand.

The parliamentary group leader Tom Wolter announced that the majority of members of the parliamentary group in the Mitbürger & Die Party group would probably support the proposal.

The CDU parliamentary group has not yet given final advice.

Only the factions of the AfD and main thing Halle are skeptical of the ban.

A specific statement as to whether they wanted to vote for or against on March 15 was not available on Friday.

According to the FDP parliamentary group, three motions are to be decided on March 15.

In addition to the prohibition of conducting official business, Wiegand is to be banned from access to his office and other administrative premises.

In addition, according to a further draft resolution for the period of the ban, he must surrender the office keys to work rooms as well as work telephones and work computers.

The impending temporary ban on Wiegand's official business is derived from the Civil Service Status Act.

For example, “for compelling official reasons, the conduct of official business can be forbidden”.

A compelling reason could, for example, be the risk of blackout or the disruption of the processes involved in investigating the vaccination affair, said Yana Mark from the FDP in the city council.

This prohibition applies for a maximum of three months and expires if no disciplinary proceedings or other proceedings aimed at withdrawing the appointment or terminating the civil service relationship have been initiated to date.

A simple majority in the city council is required for the ban.

display

For Wiegand, the temporary suspension is not the only threatening consequence of the vaccination affair.

The public prosecutor's office is investigating him on suspicion of "misappropriating embezzlement" of the corona vaccine.

The state administration office of Saxony-Anhalt has initiated disciplinary proceedings against the mayor.

He is accused of having violated civil service obligations with his premature vaccination.

In addition, several members of the City Council want to permanently depose Wiegand as Lord Mayor and seek a voting procedure against him.

The special meeting of the city council on March 15 could also be the “day of truth”, said city councilor Yana Mark (FDP) recently.

The hurdles for voting out are high.

Three quarters of the city councils would have to agree.

Then an election date would have to be found on which the citizens of Halle would decide whether Wiegand would be voted out of office.

© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210308-99-730766 / 2