Profligate politicians being brought to book in Germany

GERMANY wasted €120 million (£102million) when it paid incentives to buy electric cars to people who had already bought them, a watchdog has found.

The example is one of 100 contained in the Black Book, an annual report issued by the German Taxpayers’ Association that catalogues hundreds of federal, state and municipal projects, assessing expense, profligacy and poor planning, at every level of government.

The 2021 report says that 46,000 drivers were each paid €6,000 to purchase e-cars they had already bought as the incentive was introduced after they ordered the cars but before delivery.

Other examples include €1.2 million on little-used motorway apps and €1.5million on a bridge that is used a few days a year.

An overpass in North Rhine-westphalia, built between 1976 and 1977, was supposed to be part of Autobahn 56, but when the new road was cancelled, the overpass remained and is checked for roadworthiness annually.

The Chancellor’s Berlin office is larger than the White House or No10 but Germany will double its size with a second building at a cost of €48million. That doesn’t include an additional €39million for a tunnel to connect the two buildings, which are on opposite sides of the river Spree. Spending on a national project to upgrade government IT systems is forecast to have cost €3.4billion when it is completed in 2032.

The regional government of Schleswig-holstein spent €1.5million to upgrade Lübeck stadium after the football club won promotion to the third division but by the time it was completed, the club had been relegated.