Berlin. In the trial against former Federal Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer (CSU) in connection with the failed car toll, the main witnesses contradicted Scheuer's statements on a central point. The head of the ticket specialist CTS Eventim, Klaus-Peterschulenberg (75), reported to the Berlin regional court about a “postponement offer” to Scheuer in November 2018 - namely to wait before concluding contracts on car tolls until the European Court of Justice (ECJ) had decided on a lawsuit.
The court overturned the car toll in June 2019. Scheuer was accused of having concluded contracts at the end of 2018 before there was legal certainty. As a result of the ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ), taxpayers suffered millions in damages.
According to the indictment, Scheuer (52) and the former Transport State Secretary Gerhard Schulz (60) are said to have stated to the Bundestag investigative committee "deliberately untruthful" and "contrary to their actual recollection" that they could not remember a "postponement offer" in November 2018. Scheuer and Schulz deny the allegations. Scheuer said in court: “I have no memory of an offer to postpone.”
When the trial continued on the third day, the key witnesses were heard - in addition toschulenberg, Georg Kapsch (67), head of the Austrian company Kapsch. The two companies were intended to operate the planned car toll.
“The postponement offer was an instrument to ease the deadlocked situation on that day and to give those involved time,”schulenberg reported on the meeting in November 2018. The two entrepreneurs took part on the one hand and Scheuer with the then State Secretary Schulz on the other hand.
The entrepreneur explained that it was a spontaneous but serious idea. When asked by the public prosecutor whether the other side could have taken this as a casual remark, the 75-year-old replied: "I can't judge that. But at least I didn't mean it that way."
Schoolsberg emphasized that he has no grudge against the former transport minister and has no motive to provide false information. “I rather feel sorry for the situation as it has developed for Mr. Scheuer.”
His business partner Kapsch had previously reported on the meeting at the Federal Ministry of Transport. According to him, it was about financing issues and an impending tight schedule until the planned start of the car toll. Solutions were sought. Schulenberg then said: The ECJ proceedings were ongoing anyway, “we’ll wait”. This statement had not been agreed with him beforehand. “I had not just one, but several moments of shock,” said the Austrian entrepreneur.
He also said that the topic was quickly removed from the table. The ministry said: You shouldn't worry because there are reports on car tolls. They classified the car toll as compliant with European law.
Kapsch andschulenberg thus confirmed statements in court that they had already made in the Bundestag's toll investigation committee. Her questioning in court is scheduled to continue this Wednesday - then the defense can ask questions.
The car toll planned in Germany was stopped as illegal by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in June 2019. The central sticking point was that only domestic drivers should receive full vehicle tax relief for the toll. Scheuer was transport minister at the time.
