Sunday December 12th 2021
Left faction is vehemently critical
Hamburg pays millions to pandemic advisors
In order to organize the processing of the Corona aid, Hamburg has paid 25 million euros to external consultants and auditors, according to its left-wing parliamentary group. According to a report, the millions seem to have been disproportionate to the aid paid out.
The left-wing parliamentary group in the Hamburg parliament has criticized the payment of fees in the millions to consultants in connection with Corona aid. The city has paid almost 25 million euros to external consultants in 2020 and 2021 to get help with the processing of Corona aid, said the parliamentary group, citing the answer to their request. In some cases, money even flowed in even though no one received any help.
The economic policy spokeswoman for the left-wing parliamentary group, Olga Fritzsche, described the payment of 25 million euros for consulting fees as absolutely disproportionate. During the crisis, her group repeatedly pointed out that Hartz IV recipients, mini-jobbers and self-employed people were neglected in the aid measures.
Fiscal spokesman for the group, David Stoop, said he was wondering why city authorities were so reliant on outside help. “Can’t she design and implement funding programs herself?”
One According to yesterday’s report by the NDR Stoop also criticized the fact that in some cases the costs of the consultants were in no relation to the aid money actually paid out. The broadcaster adds a shocking set-off: According to this, the city has so far only granted around 70,000 euros in support for the so-called Corona hardship aid, but advisors have received almost ten times that amount. The city has paid external auditors almost 400,000 euros to the Hamburg stabilization fund. However, not a single company made use of the aid package, as stated in the report on the radio’s online portal.