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Ex-german-president-christian-wulff-on-trial-for-corruption - Lessons for Ireland

  • 19-11-2013 12:33am
    #1
    jonsnow
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 724 ✭✭✭


    http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/ex-german-president-christian-wulff-on-trial-for-corruption-1.1595252

    Christian Wulff yesterday became Germany’s first post-war president to go on trial, charged with corruption for accepting some €700 for a hotel stay and meals during an Oktoberfest beer festival when he was a state premier.Once seen as one of the country’s brightest political talents, Wulff served just 20 months as president before he resigned last year over accusations he accepted favours before he was elected president in 2010.

    Mr Wulff (54), a former ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel, denied the allegations, saying he hoped to clear his name with a victory in court after rejecting an offer from state prosecutors to settle the case with an out-of-court payment.

    Mr Wulff, once a rising star in the CDU and a popular regional leader who was even tipped to succeed Mrs Merkel, resigned on February 17th, 2012, after prosecutors asked parliament to lift his immunity on suspicion he had accepted undue privileges.

    The charges stem from his 2008 visit to the Munich Oktoberfest beer festival. Prosecutors say film producer David Groenewold covered his hotel and meal expenses worth €719. State prosecutors argued that in exchange Wulff wrote a letter to the chairman of Siemens, on behalf of Groenewold, seeking financial support for one of his film projects.

    A former german president and close political ally of the countries current leader is accused of accepting €719 improperly from a wealthy film producer and is going on trial for corruption. Meanwhile in Ireland senior political figures have been found to have taken huge bribes for huge favours by tribunals set up to investigate allegations. The actual organisations that are responsible for enforcing the rule of law the Gardai and the DPP do nothing.

    In Ireland the circumstances outlined above would be considered so petty that they would not even merit a story in a newspaper but in a germany it leads to a prosecution. Will the Irish justice system ever treat political corruption seriously?


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