- The Parliament has decided to impose a fine on AfD politicians.
Saxon AfD state parliamentarian Jörg Dornau is to pay a fine of €20,862. The presidency of the state parliament accuses him of violating his notification obligations under the Members of Parliament Act. Dornau failed to report his involvement in an agricultural company in Belarus within the legally prescribed time frame and did not timely disclose his activity as director of the company, the state parliament announced. The amount of the fine is equivalent to three times the monthly basic allowance of an MP. Dornau can appeal the decision to the administrative court. Initially, it was unclear whether he would do so.
The Left party welcomed the decision. No one can simply travel to Belarus and set up an agricultural operation there, let alone someone from Germany, explained faction leader Rico Gebhardt. This requires contacts, preliminary talks, and political proximity to the local dictatorship. "Dornau's assurances to the presidency are unbelievable. To us, it looks like he used his state parliament mandate to enrich himself personally," Gebhardt emphasized.
Despite the fine, Dornau might consider appealing to the administrative court, as he expressed initial uncertainty about doing so. Regardless, this incident highlights the importance of adhering to party principles, as a party member should not be associated with participating in a party at a foreign agricultural company during their tenure.
