By Stephen Peter
Does the Lichtenberg district councilor Filiz Keküllüoğlu (35, Greens) only hire new employees if they have the Green party card? In a job advertisement for your office, a hedgehog is depicted in a sunflower – the Greens’ party logo.
“Wanted speaker” – that’s what it says in the job advertisement from Keküllüoğlu (responsible for schools, sports and facility management), which she published on Twitter and Instagram. In addition, a photo of her and the reference to her office: “District Councilor Lichtenberg”.
Requirements for the applicants: Interest in “equitable mobility, safety on the way to school & safe pedestrian traffic”. Applications should be sent by email to Keküllüoğlu’s official district office address.
E11 is mentioned in the job advertisement – i.e. salary group 11 in the public sector. According to the collective agreement of the federal states, there is a monthly basic salary of 3652.64 euros to 5379.28 euros. Paid for by taxpayers’ money and not by membership fees from the Greens.
The job advertisement for the Greens politician is surprising among administrative experts – such a mixture of official and party work is inadmissible. The advertisement of positions is regulated in the Official Journal of July 24, 2020. Judgment of the responsible financial administration on the Lichtenberger job advertisement: “The publication in its current form does not correspond to the guidelines.”
Head shaking in the Senate Chancellery.
“The job advertisements of the departments of the state of Berlin are usually made via the career portal and the e-recruiting program Rexx,” says a spokeswoman. “Basically, the depiction of political symbols is neither intended nor usual.”
Criticism comes from the Lichtenberger FDP: “The ad reads as if a job for the BVV parliamentary group of the Greens is being advertised,” said district boss Rico Apitz (49). “Apparently by mistake it was made public what taxpayers’ money should be spent on: instead of a person who works for the district administration, someone who works for the Green Party is wanted.”
Keküllüoğlu cannot understand the excitement: “It’s about the position of a personal advisor – it doesn’t have to be advertised. The position is tied to my tenure and person,” said the politician to the BZ. “The applicants do not have to be with the Greens. I also have a personal assistant who is not a party member.”
She rejects the criticism of the FDP. “It’s not about party work, it’s about supporting the city councilwoman.”
Keküllüoğlu emphasizes: “I shouldn’t have advertised this position at all, but I’m doing it for the sake of transparency. Other city councilors and mayors also have speakers with party affiliations.”