After ZDF revelations, BSI boss Schönbohm was quickly released from his post. According to his own statement, he does not know the specific allegations. His request to initiate disciplinary proceedings against him has not yet been complied with either.
According to a media report, the President of the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), who was released by Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, has asked the ministry to initiate disciplinary proceedings against him - so far to no avail. A state secretary informed the Interior Committee of the Bundestag about Arne Schönbohm's request, the newspapers of the editorial network Germany (RND) reported, citing participants in the meeting.
In his written request, Schönbohm stated that he had no idea what the allegations against him looked like and what the ministry had actually checked, the RND newspapers reported. A ministry spokesman confirmed to the RND that no disciplinary proceedings had been initiated so far.
Faeser recalled Schönbohm from office on Tuesday. The background to this are allegations that Schönbohm had contacts with the dubious association Cybersecurity Council Germany e.V., with alleged connections to Russian secret service circles.
The deputy leader of the Greens parliamentary group, Konstantin von Notz, also asked the ministry to justify the decision in more detail. "The exact background of these personal details remains nebulous to this day," he told the RND newspapers. "There is no question that there are scandalous events surrounding the dubious and problematic association CyberSicherheitsrat e.V. Nevertheless, it has not yet been understood what the specific allegations against Mr Schönbohm are. We demand full clarification of the facts with regard to all the background to this event."
