The former German chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder, sued the Bundestag demanding the return of his privileges. They were taken, probably, because of close ties with Russia.
This was reported by the German newspaper Die Welt with reference to the lawyerʼs comment.
"The decision of the Budget Committee of the Bundestag to cut Schröderʼs funds for the maintenance of his office in the Bundestag and to suspend the work of the office is illegal. [...] Such decisions are more reminiscent of an absolutist princely state from the point of view of how they are adopted, and should not continue in a democratic legal state," stated the lawyer of the former chancellor.
In May, the German parliament stripped Schroeder of his office and staff in the Bundestag, which are paid for from the federal budget — last year it cost more than €400 000. A pension of €8 300 and personal security were left for Schroeder. The formal reason for such a decision is that Schroeder does not use the premises and employee rates available to him. However, as the mass media wrote, in fact the Bundestag deputies are dissatisfied with Schröderʼs close ties with Russia, and this "damages Germanyʼs reputation on the international scene." Chancellor Olaf Scholz hailed the decision as "logical" at the time.
- In early March, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Schroeder flew to Moscow to meet with his old friend Putin and stated that he was interested in ending the war, "but itʼs not that simple." For this, he was criticized in Germany, and the European Parliament proposed to include Schroeder in the sanctions list.
- On May 20, it became known that Schroeder is leaving the position of chairman of the board of directors of Rosneft, which he held since 2017. A few days later, the former Chancellor of Germany rejected Gazpromʼs offer to join its board of directors.