The public prosecutors in Berlin and Cottbus are continuing to investigate employees of the Foreign Office. Spokespersons for the respective authorities confirmed this on Wednesday. To protect the investigation, “no further information can be provided at this time,” said the spokesperson for the Berlin authority. Her colleague in Brandenburg made almost identical statements.
According to a “Focus” report, officials of the authority headed by Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) are suspected of having officially instructed employees in German embassies and consulates to allow applicants with incomplete or obviously forged documents to enter the Federal Republic. Several thousand people have entered the country in this way over the past five years, writes “Focus”.
Federal Foreign Office: reacting to individual cases
A spokesman for the Foreign Office said that the three known investigations by the public prosecutors in Berlin and Cottbus concerned individual cases in which there were questions about the documents used for entry. The Foreign Office had responded to the individual cases known to it with organizational measures.
Criminal complaint against employees of the Federal Foreign Office
Around a year ago, the magazine “Cicero” reported on the proceedings on suspicion of perverting the course of justice. According to the Berlin public prosecutor’s office, the events are “identical”. At the time, “Cicero” reported that a former employee of the Federal Ministry of the Interior had filed a criminal complaint against officials at the Foreign Office. The public prosecutor’s office is investigating on suspicion of perverting the course of justice in connection with the plan to bring an Afghan to Germany.
In June 2023, the Berlin public prosecutor’s office announced that initial suspicion had been confirmed. At that time, the investigation initiated was directed against unknown persons. That has now changed.