Söder rejects personal responsibility for mask deals

Bayern’s prime minister Markus Soder has denied any responsibility for shortcomings in the purchase of corona protective masks by the state government during the pandemic. “There was no influence, no instructions to do anything individually,” said the CSU leader on Friday during his testimony in the mask investigation committee of the Bavarian state parliament. Söder is the last witness invited to the panel, which started work about a year ago.

The central responsibility for the purchase of masks lay with the Ministry of Health and the State Office for Health and Food Safety (LGL), said Söder. He himself was responsible for setting the “big line” in fighting the pandemic. “You don’t have to worry about every detail as prime minister. You don’t count every mask either.”

Söder criticizes politicians who take advantage of the emergency

bavaria The state government got involved in the procurement of masks because the global market had failed. However, there was no influence whatsoever on the part of the government or its members. “No one seriously believes that a minister or the State Chancellery said, this mask or not.” At the same time, Söder criticized the fact that some politicians had used the emergency to enrich themselves personally through mask deals.

The aim of the committee set up by the state parliament in December 2021 at the urging of the SPD, Greens and FDP was and is in particular to clarify mask deals by the state government in the corona pandemic as well as possible involvement of politicians and sometimes high commission payments to MPs – with the commissions from participating companies.