Overview

• Interior Minister Christian Pegel announced that Wolfgang Schmülling asked Minister-President Manuela Schwesig to relieve him of his duties, citing responsibility and the wish to prevent further harm to the government.
• The Schwerin public prosecutor has been investigating Schmülling since mid-September for suspected complicity in embezzlement tied to delayed billing for COVID-19 masks procured in 2020, with about €430,000 reported as at risk.
• Schmülling denies the allegations, and a law firm engaged by him and an external review cited by the Interior Ministry argue no loss has yet materialized and claims against counties are not time-barred.
• A separate controversy over the accelerated promotion of police official Andreas Walus drew sharp criticism; Walus later declined the promotion and is himself under investigation for suspected embezzlement.
• Schwesig said the ministry’s other state secretary, Ina-Maria Ulbrich, will temporarily take on Schmülling’s duties, with a decision on a permanent successor planned for next week.