In the evaluation report on the Corona measures, the FDP sees a confirmation of their criticism of the Robert Koch Institute. Party Vice Kubicki therefore calls for the dismissal of RKI boss Wieler. The liberal warns that a “new start in terms of personnel” is now necessary.
As a consequence of the Corona evaluation report, FDP Vice Wolfgang Kubicki has called for the dismissal of RKI President Lothar Wieler. It was "inevitable" that Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach would dismiss the President of the Robert Koch Institute "as responsible for this misery," Kubicki told the "Welt am Sonntag". The data chaos denounced by the FDP is now officially named with the report. A “new start in terms of personnel” is necessary at the RKI and the institute must become more independent of the Ministry of Health.
The FDP sees itself “confirmed in the criticism that has been expressed since the beginning of the pandemic” by the report of the committee of experts, Kubicki continued. The measures were largely disproportionate and undemocratic and "too often lacked any scientific basis," said the deputy party leader. The FDP parliamentary group will now quickly discuss what this “shattering report” means for the further discussion on infection law.
The FDP politician Frank Schäffler also called for Wieler's resignation. The report must lead to "consequences in terms of personnel at the head of the RKI," he told the newspaper, adding: "Mr. Wieler is obviously unable to improve the situation." The report reveals blatant deficiencies in the "data situation and the scientific monitoring of the pandemic". According to Schäffler, it was a scandal that "sometimes senseless restrictions on fundamental rights were decided on this "inadequate basis".
Objection came from Green politician Katrin Göring-Eckardt. She reposted an older comment of hers on Twitter with the addition "Applicable then and applies today:
The expert commission of the Bundestag and the federal government had previously submitted an evaluation report on the corona protection measures. Many measures were justified at the beginning, but lost their effectiveness over time. The commission did not want to make general recommendations on how to proceed, for example with a view to wearing protective masks. The effects and side effects of individual previous measures can hardly be assessed on their own.
