Climate Foundation MV's board loses Sellering; no replacement in sight according to Pegel.
After the unexpected departure of Erwin Sellering (SPD) as the Director of the Climate Foundation MV, the foundation won't receive a new leader. According to the foundation's rules, the board doesn't necessarily have to include three members. In a response to a question posed during a parliamentary debate in Schwerin, Christian Pegel (SPD) explained, "We're aiming to keep the foundation running, and we're managing it."
The law permits Manuela Schwesig (SPD) as the Governor to select one, two, or three board members. Since the current board has been in place for only a few months, Pegel believes reappointing them isn't necessary. Members from the CDU and Green factions, Sebastian Ehlers and Constanze Oehlrich, respectively, questioned this interpretation of the rules. Ehlers highlighted the clause in the regulations that demanding a new board member appointment after a resignation.
The Climate Foundation MV has been a topic of debate since its inception in early 2021 at the behest of the state government, intended to support the construction of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline. Ever since, there's been a heated dispute. While the state legislature chose to terminate the foundation in March 2022 after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Sellering, who was appointed by the government, challenged this decision based on German law. A legal advisor confirmed Sellering's position.
Pegel remarked that the parliament had asked the government in March to hand over the foundation to civil society. Negotiations are underway now. However, a majority of the opposition in the state parliament still wants the foundation dissolved. The foundation is contentious mainly due to its funding coming from Russian sources. Nord Stream 2 AG, a branch of the state-owned Russian conglomerate Gazprom, donated 20 million euros for environmental initiatives, while the state contributed 200,000 euros as a starting budget.
