Patricia Schlesinger, the resigned director of Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB), is pushing for a severance payment because her contract runs until the end of February – the broadcasting council is banking on the fastest possible separation from the 61-year-old, who combines RBB and ARD in one of the worst crises in the history of public broadcasting in Germany.
Last Thursday, Schlesinger resigned from her post as ARD chairman because of allegations of nepotism compliance violations and wasting fee money.
The council will now deal with the issue again on Monday, as confirmed by Friederike von Kirchbach, the chairwoman of the committee. The RBB board of directors is currently examining how Patricia Schlesinger can finally be released from her contract. That should be clarified by Friday, now the Broadcasting Council wants to make a decision on Monday.
The meeting was initially scheduled for Tuesday. As reported, demands for Schlesinger’s immediate dismissal without severance pay have also been heard from politicians.
In the meantime, it has also become known that the Berlin Public Prosecutor’s Office has taken over the investigations against Schlesinger, her husband Gerhard Spörl and the resigned head of the board of directors, Wolf-Dieter Wolf. The newly established RBB research team also reported on this. It is determined because of suspicion of corruption, the accusation is acceptance of advantages and breach of trust.
The takeover by the public prosecutor’s office was justified with the special importance of the matter. Initially, the public prosecutor’s office had rejected a complaint by the AfD, arguing that there was insufficient initial suspicion.
The investigation is about Schlesinger’s possible influence on the mediation of an order from Messe Berlin to Spörl via the former RBB board chairman. Wolf has also resigned from the supervisory board of the trade fair and RBB Media.
According to media reports, a three-day trip to London by the former director is now also occupying the RBB. In September 2021, Schlesinger is said to have participated with her husband Gerhard Spörl in a charity event called “Sheriff’s Ball” – dress code: evening wear with a touch of the 20s, cost per ticket 225 pounds, the equivalent of 260 euros. The RBB now asks itself “what official reason there was for the trip allegedly organized by Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg and who paid for it,” as “Spiegel online” says.
The main committee of the Brandenburg state parliament responsible for media issues is also planning another special session on the subject in Potsdam on Tuesday morning next week. Brandenburg currently has the legal supervision of the RBB.
Despite being invited, Schlesinger, Wolf and von Kirchbach stayed away from the first meeting. Hagen Brandstätter, acting RBB director, and Dorette König, the new chairwoman of the RBB board of directors, have confirmed that they will come next Tuesday.
