New revelations show how the Austrian real estate entrepreneur René Benko in the middle of the first Corona-Lockdown changed directly to the then German Minister of Health Jens Spahn-Met Success.
March and April 2020: While Europe is in an unprecedented exceptional situation, René Benko is feverishly working on the rescue of his crispy department store group Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof. From his chalet in Oberlech, he organizes such a – driven protective shield procedure – a special bankruptcy form that it should air. But only legal measures are not enough for him. The financial juggler is looking for a direct police line, in Austria and in Germany.
A name especially often appears: Jens Spahn. The then Minister of Health was one of the most powerful men in Germany in Pandemie. And he already has a tight band with Benko. According to calendar entrances, a late voting meeting in the Berlin office of Benko should take place in 2019 in 2019. There are also connections about the then Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz. But it is mainly Spahn itself, with which Benko exchanges intensively via e -mail in the spring of 2020. This is proven by joint research by “Krone”, “News” and “Focus”.
“Dear Jens, as discussed”
The conversation between the two men is characterized by remarkable fame. On April 14, 2020, Benko reports to Spahn late in the evening:
“Dear Jens, as discussed. Kind regards, your René.”
A three -pages document from a Swiss consultancy entitled “Restoring of the Dernerhäuser” – A detailed argument for opening large department stores has been confirmed to the post. Spahn responds personally the next day:
“The result is likely that you can open up to 800 m² … one of the most controversial points …”
At this point this rule of 800 square meters is a very controversial subject in Germany. In a television interview, Spahn is asked a little later about the measure. His answer sounds almost a word for the arguments that Benko had sent shortly before:
“You can feel an incomprehension why 799 square meters go and 801 not.”
Even more explosive: three days earlier, Spahn Benko actively asked the Galeria Hygiene concept-a remarkable process for a Health Minister in the middle of the pandemic.
E -Mail contacts on private channels
Not only the content of communication, but also the framework. The news is not performed via the official ministry address of Spahn, but through a private -ing -mail with Bundestag:
“Spahn Jens Laptop” and “Bundesag.de”
A procedure that raises questions: Why did Spahn not use the official channels of his operation? Were it about blurry traces?
Four days after his TV performance, on April 30, 2020, Spahn will receive Post from Benko again. In it, the financial juggler summarizes a new report from Signa, which comes to the conclusion: “The area restriction of 800 square meters cannot be justified from the point of view of hygienic medical.”
Benko ends the news with the well -known greeting:
“Kind regards, your René.”
On the morning of May 6, 2020, Spahn continues a decisive step. At 6:29 am he sends a short message to Benko:
“Good morning, template f today confidentially Z KT. LG Jens.”
He therefore sends the internal draft decision of the federal government for area regulation – a process that forwards very confidential information directly through the political decision -making processes to a private entrepreneur.
The rule of 800 square meters falls on the same day. Benko is grateful and responds quickly:
“Thank you dear Jens – I hope you’re doing well. Kind regards, you René.”
The revelations shed a new light at the vicinity between Jens Spahn and René Benko during Corona Pandemic. A spokesperson for Spahn said that the “quoted and mentioned documents” “were” decisions of the Premier Conference “.
As Minister of Health, Spahn would have “only participated as a guest” in these conferences and had no voting rights, emphasizes the spokesperson for today’s CDU member. “Because the retail trade as an industry was mainly influenced by the pandemic measures, many representatives of the industry have registered with federal and national governments.” The arguments for and against an area restriction were “publicly and critically discussed” at the time.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
