Gorch Fock-renovation: paint over it - done

rise and The cost to repair the sail training ship "Gorch Fock" and get off. A report of the German Federal court of auditors for the Ministry of defence paints a disturbing picture.

Christoph Prössl, ARD-capital Studio

As is the case with the poles: at the beginning of January 2016 is the "Gorch Fock" in a Dock in Bremerhaven for repairs after a small accident. Nothing Big - so the assumption at the time, to a maximum of costs in the amount of ten million euros. The professionals of the naval support command noted: The poles need to be examined with ultrasound.

But first, nothing happened - or better to say the Wrong thing. Workers painted the masts. In may 2016, the experts of the Navy requested assistance command, then, is that the color needs to be removed. After that, the engineers moved in with the ultrasound machine. The result is that The masts are no longer to save, replacement is necessary.

The auditors of the Federal court of auditors - the report is before the ARD-capital Studio - summarize the events surrounding the masts of the sailing school ship in a few lines. There are in the 39-page paper really is better, but: This Passage explains very well what's going wrong with the "Gorch Fock".

allegations that von der Leyen

"The allegations, the charges, the court of auditors, are serious. And I think the Minister has gone because over the years on the ice," said Tobias Lindner, Chairman of the Green party in the defence Committee. The officer Elsflether shipyard repaired in the spring of 2016 is already awake, although still not at all clear what needs to be repaired, renewed. A comprehensive investigation took place.

Prior to the start of the Work had not been clarified whether the repair of the "Gorch Fock" was, overall, economically, the report says. The Navy had knowledge of the condition of the vessel. In addition, the German armed forces to the Minister have presented two templates for decision-making based on - and I quote - "wrong" or "not sufficiently meaningful information".

The repair of the "Gorch Fock" takes longer and costs more than originally planned.

From ten to 65 ...

In September 2016, the cost would amount to almost 65 million euros. A project Manager stopped the repair. The German army made a submission to the Minister, the basis for a decision. A comprehensive investigation had taken place, a unit in the Ministry provided the text passage: "The activities carried out so far to the shipbuilding inquiry were suited to the financially to the maximum extent that is necessary (worst case) a sufficiently accurate estimate."

... then 75, and finally to 135 million Euro

The amount for this worst-case scenario: 75 million euros. The Minister decided to: continue to make. It is a further drastic increase in the cost to the current level of 135 million euros, and the Ministry stopped the Work. In the Navy, many feared that it was now with the "Gorch Fock".

"For such Considerations, it is now much too early," said Jens Flosdorff, the spokesman of defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen, "we now need to know exactly what is the actual state, there are papers, there are reports, however, we want to know it now."

court of auditors calls for answers

And also of the Federal court of auditors want to know exactly. Because the report is initially gone as a Prüfmitteilung to the Ministry, now can and should reply to the competent Authorities. In addition, the public Prosecutor's office in Osnabrück determined yet because of a suspicion of bribery. The Greens call for a new procurement, a new "Gorch Fock".

interesting Detail: The controller is not in the report, invoices for the purchase of a replacement are understandable. Because the German army had always argued, A new ship, it doesn't add up.

bankruptcies, bad luck and breakdowns: Gorch Fock
Christoph Prössl, ARD Berlin
14.01.2019 21:08 PM

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