From BZ/epd
In a letter to the state parliament and state government in Brandenburg, director Patricia Schlesinger rejects allegations of possible irregularities at Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB).
She welcomes the opportunity “to comment on the allegations made against us and me and to clear them up,” says the letter of July 21, which is available to the Evangelical Press Service (epd).
The State Chancellery had previously asked RBB questions about possible conflicts of interest in the award of contracts, the broadcaster’s participation in renting the International Congress Center (ICC) for the Rundfunk-Orchester und Chor gGmbH, dinner at RBB’s expense in Schlesinger’s private apartment and compliance regulations.
► In Schlesinger’s answer, it says, among other things, that from the RBB’s point of view, business relationships between the Chairman of the Board of Directors Wolf-Dieter Wolf and individual consultants do not prevent these consultants from being employed by the RBB.
The director also reports that between 2018 and 2022 a total of nine business lunches with so-called multipliers took place in her private apartment.
The number of people varied between three and eleven people. According to Schlesinger, the average gross cost per guest for food without drinks was between 23.12 and 56.53 euros. She made her private apartment available because other rooms would have led to considerable rental costs.
“The participation of the invited multipliers served the interests of the RBB and the goal of entering into a close exchange with leaders from different social groups and institutions,” says Schlesinger.
Brandenburg
The “Business Insider” portal (like BZ belongs to Axel Springer) had reported that there was a “system of mutual favors” between Schlesinger and the head of the board of directors, Wolf-Dieter Wolf. The entrepreneur Wolf, who is also the chairman of the supervisory board at Messe Berlin, passed Schlesinger’s husband “lucrative orders”.
The RBB, Schlesinger and Wolf reject the allegations. The compliance officer and the broadcaster’s audit department are already dealing with the allegations. Wolf is currently resting his position as head of the RBB board of directors.