Deloitte Audit Clears BLB NRW of Bribery in State Chancellery Renovation

The report attributes cost overruns and procedural deviations to external pressures, pandemic disruptions, and inflation, while investigations into other allegations continue.

• A Deloitte audit found no evidence of bribery or intentional wrongdoing by BLB NRW employees in the renovation of the North Rhine-Westphalia State Chancellery.
• The renovation costs rose by 67%, reaching €72.2 million, due to user requests, evolving security needs, the pandemic, the Ukraine war, and inflation.
• Former Minister-President Armin Laschet's request for a specific architect led to bypassing standard procurement procedures, according to the report.
• BLB NRW employees faced significant external pressure from the Ministry of Construction to prioritize the project over others.
• The audit findings, commissioned by the Ministry of Finance, are being presented to the state parliament's budget committee, while State Prosecutor investigations into other aspects of the case remain ongoing.

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