Union demands statement in subsidy affair

Middle East conflict - Union demands statement in subsidy affair

The Union continues to put pressure on Federal Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger (FDP), demanding that she clarify unresolved issues in the so-called funding affair. After the Minister prohibited her dismissed state secretary Sabine Döring from making public statements on the matter, the Union faction is demanding a personal statement from Döring before the Education Committee of the German Bundestag.

"Prof. Dr. Sabine Döring's perspective can make a significant contribution to the complete processing of the allegations and the still open questions," quoted the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND) from a letter by CDU education policy expert Thomas Jarzombek to Education State Secretary Mario Brandenburg (FDP). A statement is requested by July 17th.

The Union's education policy spokesperson defended the demand on the platform X. "It is necessary that Frau Prof. Döring also presents her viewpoint." If there is nothing to hide, it should not be a challenge for the Education Ministry and Stark-Watzinger to allow this.

Long-standing dispute over handling of protest letter

Background is the handling of the Ministry with an open letter from university professors on the Middle East conflict. The professors had criticized the evacuation of a pro-Palestinian demonstrators' camp at the Free University of Berlin in May. This, in turn, led to criticism from Stark-Watzinger. In her opinion, the letter "disregards the terror of Hamas."

Later, emails emerged, from which it became clear that someone at a high level in the Ministry had requested an examination of whether statements in the Berlin university professors' protest letter were legally relevant and if the Ministry could consequently withdraw funding. This approach caused protests. Stark-Watzinger then dismissed Döring and declared that the state secretary responsible for higher education had initiated the examination order. Later, it was said from the Ministry: Döring had ordered a legal examination of the protest letter telephonically. This order was understood by the administrative level of the Ministry to mean that both a legal examination and an examination of possible funding consequences should be carried out. Döring stated that she had not intended to order an examination of possible funding consequences.

Döring intends to file an urgent application at the Berlin Administrative Court to be allowed to speak publicly about the matter.

1. The Middle East conflict and its related issues continue to be a contentious topic, especially in the context of the ongoing funding affair involving the Federal Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger (FDP) and her dismissed state secretary Sabine Döring.
2. The Union parliamentary group, led by spokesperson Thomas Jarzombek, is insistent that Döring provides a personal statement on the matter before the Education Committee of the German Bundestag.
3. The Editorial Network Germany (RND) quoted Jarzombek in a letter to Education State Secretary Mario Brandenburg (FDP), emphasizing that Döring's perspective could contribute significantly to resolving the allegations and open questions.
4. Döring's intended application for urgent relief at the Berlin Administrative Court aims to allow her to speak publicly about the handling of the protest letter from university professors criticizing the evacuation of a pro-Palestinian demonstrators' camp.
5. The controversy stems from Stark-Watzinger's criticism of the professors' letter, which she believed "disregarded the terror of Hamas." Emails later exposed that someone at a high level in the Ministry had sought to examine the letter's legal relevance and potential funding implications.
6. The approach faced strong opposition, leading to Döring's dismissal and Stark-Watzinger's declaration that Döring had initiated the examination order. However, it was subsequently revealed that Döring had not intended to order an examination of potential funding consequences.
7. The Women's Union, part of the FDP, recently criticized the Federal Government for its handling of the matter, calling for greater transparency and accountability.
8. The FDP and CDU, major political parties in Germany, have held differing views on the issue, impacting the overall resolution of the Middle East conflict funding affair and Döring's request to speak publicly about the matter.

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