After investigations against two current members of the management of Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB) became known, the staff council urged them to give up their positions. In an intranet post by the council on Wednesday, which is available to the German Press Agency, it also says: "Unfortunately, this process is completely unsuitable for healing the loss of trust within the workforce. The staff council therefore expects decisive action. Now." A statement from management is awaited.
On Tuesday, the Berlin Public Prosecutor's Office confirmed that in the midst of the RBB affair about nepotism, it had expanded the investigation to include two members of the management board. It is about the suspicion of infidelity and aiding and abetting infidelity with a view to the introduction of a variable remuneration system and continued salary payments to employees who are no longer employed. When asked by dpa, the public ARD broadcaster RBB then said that we asked for your understanding that there was no statement at the current time. "Based on this new information, we are currently reviewing the legal consequences and options for action."
The deputy chairman of the RBB staff council, Lutz Oehmichen, told the dpa on Wednesday: This is not about a cup of coffee that was accidentally spilled, "but about serious allegations by the public prosecutor's office against almost half of the RBB management". According to the RBB website, five managers currently belong to the current management.
Downsizing of the management should be discussed
The RBB Broadcasting Council control body has set the agenda for the meeting in mid-October. According to dpa information, the topic of dismantling the management should be dealt with. Ralf Roggenbuck had already spoken out in favor of downsizing when he started as the new Chairman of the Broadcasting Council in September.
So far, the public prosecutor's office has been investigating against the director Patricia Schlesinger, who was fired without notice, her husband and former "Spiegel" journalist Gerhard Spörl, and against the resigned station chief inspector Wolf-Dieter Wolf on suspicion of infidelity and accepting advantages. The presumption of innocence applies until clarification.
The affair had started with media reports of allegations of nepotism and the felt. It's about controversial consulting contracts for a construction project by the public broadcaster that has now been put on hold, undisclosed bonus payments for executives, a hefty salary increase for Schlesinger, the billing of food with invited guests in her private apartment at RBB's expense, controversial Travel and coaching assignments for Schlesinger's husband at the state-owned Messe Berlin. Wolf was also chief inspector there in personal union.
Some time ago, the trade fair supervisory board specifically announced that a compliance investigation had shown that there were no violations of public procurement law and that the orders for the trade fair had been awarded correctly.
