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Prime Minister Schwesig (SPD) in January in Wismar: “Hiding out certain findings”

Photo: Frank Hormann / dpa

According to the state constitutional court, the Schwerin state government did not adequately respond to an inquiry about the controversial climate foundation.

The court said that she had thereby violated the parliamentary right to ask questions of state parliament member Hannes Damm (Greens).

The MP made a minor request in February 2022.

It was entitled "Actors, meetings and correspondence in the context of the 'Climate Foundation'".

Among other things, the politician wanted to know which meetings had taken place in this context.

The Interior Ministry had answered the questions.

However, only “insufficient,” as the court decided.

The state government only researched electronic files.

But she must rely on “all sources of information available to her.”

This also includes the “knowledge of the people involved that is not on record.”

The state government must reconstruct and disclose this.

“Hiding out certain findings” is not in the spirit of the constitution.

For many of the appointments queried, no information was given about the content.

The state government did not ask those involved for further information or subsequent documentation of the meetings.

In addition, the state government should have disclosed at least the basic principles of how it was involved in the process of establishing the foundation and drawing up the statutes, the court explained.

She would also have had to submit the draft versions of the statutes.

After the verdict, Damm said he expected the state government to “finally disclose all the information.”

The climate foundation received 20 million euros from Nord Stream 2 AG, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Russian Gazprom.

The foundation has been controversial since it was founded at the beginning of January 2021: Although it was officially intended to protect the environment, it contained an economic business operation.

This was intended to ensure that the Russian natural gas pipeline Nord Stream 2 was completed despite threats of sanctions from the USA (read more about it here).

The pipeline lands in Lubmin near Greifswald.

Because of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, the pipeline was never put into operation.

A Schwerin investigative committee is currently examining the events surrounding the founding of the foundation.

The government and state parliament want to dissolve the climate foundation, but so far without success.

jpz/dpa/AFP