German ex-minister denies perjury in court over scrapped EU car toll scheme: trial opens in Berlin
Andreas Scheuer, Germany’s former federal transport minister, appeared in a Berlin court on Monday to face charges of perjury linked to the failed passenger car toll scheme, a project that collapsed in 2019 after the European Court of Justice ruled it discriminated against non-German EU drivers. Scheuer and his former state secretary, Gerhard Schulz, are accused of lying to a Bundestag investigative committee about their recollection of a 2018 meeting where contractors allegedly offered to delay the contract until the court’s ruling. Both men denied the offer occurred.
The toll system, a priority for the CSU, was scrapped after the EU ruling, forcing Germany to cancel contracts with CTS Eventim and Kapsch TrafficCom and later pay over €240 million in compensation. Scheuer, 51, and Schulz, 60, told the court the allegations were a shock, with Scheuer insisting he had only executed laws as a minister. Legal experts had long warned of the project’s legal risks, which triggered the parliamentary inquiry that led to the current trial .
In Croatia, opposition party SDP filed a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Andrej Plenković’s government over a hazardous waste scandal in Gospić, where 37,000 tonnes of illegal waste were dumped. SDP argues the government bears responsibility for weakening oversight and shaping regulations that enabled the dumping, citing the role of former Chief State Inspector Andrija Mikulić, appointed under Plenković. The motion, backed by 30 MPs, will be voted on in October, though the current majority of 79 MPs makes passage unlikely .
Hungary’s Health Minister Zsolt Hegedűs published a vulgar 2022 message allegedly sent by former state secretary Péter Takács, which Hegedűs claims influenced a 2023 law stripping the Hungarian Medical Chamber of key powers. The law, passed in February 2023, ended mandatory membership and transferred ethical oversight to a government-controlled body. Hegedűs said a vote to restore the chamber’s authority is expected Tuesday .
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Behrami: Skam shpresë te Apeli, Speciales do tia heqim avantazhin që e ka keqpërdorur Deputeti i Partisë Demokratike të Kosovës, Artan Behrami, ka thënë se partia e tij me nismën që ka dërguar në Kuvendin e Kosovës për plotësim-ndryshimin e Ligjit për Dhomat e Specializuara, synon tia heqë avantazhin kësaj gjykate për të cilin thotë se ajo e ka...
koha · about 2 hours ago
Nowy minister chce zerwać z Izerą. Zdradza, co ma być w zamian Od tygodnia w Ministerstwie Energii urzęduje Piotr Masłowski. Nowy wiceminister w rozmowie z WNP przekonuje, że elektromobilność w Polsce ma sens, ale projekt Electromobility Poland wymaga między innymi odejścia od nazwy Izera, zmiany myślenia, budowy popytu, a także spójnej polityki państwa. Jesienią mają ruszyć prace nad fabryką w Jaworznie i zmianami w ustawie.
wnp.pl · about 2 hours ago
Anna Tenje (M) pikar Magdalena Andersson (S): Poppar popcorn Socialförsäkringsminister Anna Tenje (M) hoppas fortfarande att Ulf Kristersson får leda nästa regering och att hon själv får fortsätta som minister. Men nu är det Magdalena Andersson (S) som försöker sy ihop en rödgrön regering. – Jag avundas henne inte. Jag poppar popcorn och tittar på, säger Tenje till Smålandsposten.
expressen · about 2 hours ago
Dismissal of Plenković Sought Following Hazardous Waste Scandal September the 22nd, 2026 – SDP is seeking the dismissal of PM Andrej Plenković following the hazardous waste scandal in Lika. By the end of this week, SDP will officially submit to parliamentary procedure a proposal for a vote of no confidence in the Government of Andrej Plenković. Index reports that it will do so ... Read more The post Dismissal of Plenković Sought Following Hazardous Waste Scandal appeared first on Total Croatia.
total croatia news · about 2 hours ago
Berek: Doprowadzę do tego, że ślubowanie będzie złożone i dostarczone prezydentowi - Oczywiście mam przygotowane kroki alternatywne. Wszyscy, którzy zostaliśmy wybrani przez Sejm jako sędziowie Trybunału Konstytucyjnego, mamy obowiązek zacząć wykonywać ten urząd. Jesteśmy zdeterminowani, żeby swoją funkcję sędziowską zacząć wykonywać - mówił Maciej Berek w rozmowie z TVN24.
gazeta.pl · about 2 hours ago
"People are pissed off": House Dems sneer as one of their own backs a Republican Rep. Jared Goldens decision to endorse one of House Republicans most vulnerable incumbents is going down like a lead balloon among his fellow House Democrats.Why it matters: The anger wont have much impact on Golden (D-Maine), who is retiring, but it could blow back on his closest ally, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.)."People are pissed off," a House Democrat speaking on the condition of anonymity to share details of private discussions told Axios, adding, "He is doing Gluesenkamp Perez no favors ... this will hurt her."The Washington Democrat, who often breaks from party leadership and moves as a unit with Golden, "is going to have to figure out how she navigates around the suspicion this will create for her next Congress," this lawmaker said."He is leaving," said a senior House Democrat. "Marie is a bigger problem."Driving the news: Golden wrote an op-ed in a local newspaper in Rep. Mike Lawlers New York district endorsing the Republican for reelection.Golden cited his work with Lawler on several pieces of legislation, most notably their bill to exempt lobstermen from certain federal environmental regulations."Mike Lawler has been a true partner to me and a friend to fishing families he will never represent," Golden wrote. "I strongly back him, and I hope voters send him back to work."Between the lines: The endorsement comes after Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez, who previously co-chaired the centrist Blue Dog Coalition, repeatedly broke with party leadership on key procedural votes in recent weeks.Twice this month, the two Democrats provided Republican leadership with the votes needed to advance their legislation to the floor, including bills strongly opposed by Democratic leaders.The repeated defections have sparked enormous anger within the House Democratic caucus, with some lawmakers calling to punish Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez.What theyre saying: Democrats met Goldens endorsement with contemptuous dismissal, arguing that it will do little to move the needle for a Republican in a district that went for former Vice President Harris in 2024.House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said in a statement that Lawler is "peddling an 11th hour endorsement from a retiring Congressmember who represents an out of town district more than 400 miles away.""That endorsement should get Mike an additional three votes — comprising most of the New Yorkers who have ever heard of Jared Golden," Rep. Sam Liccardo (D-Calif.) told Axios.A third House Democrat who spoke on the condition of anonymity said similarly: "I dont think its going to help Lawler. The people in that district who know who Golden is already know who they are voting for."The intrigue: Just hours after the endorsement, House Democrats main super PAC announced plans to spend millions more in the media market that encompasses Lawlers district.House Majority PAC said it is reserving $2.45 million more on cable reservations in the New York City media market.Some Democrats have argued against spending large sums to unseat Lawler, arguing that he is one of Republicans most bipartisan and most politically formidable members.Republicans have been massively outspending Democrats in Lawlers district.
axios · about 2 hours ago
Awantura o "alko-ustawę". Zgorzelski do liderki Polski 2050: Mam gdzieś jej oczekiwania Piotr Zgorzelski ostro zaatakował Katarzynę Pełczyńską-Nałęcz w Polsat News. Poszło o projekt ustawy ograniczającej reklamę i sprzedaż alkoholu, który zniknął z planu głosowań Sejmu.
do rzeczy · about 2 hours ago
W rządzie zawrzało. „Nie chcę mieć nic wspólnego z taką koalicjantką Awantura o ustawę antyalkoholową przerodziła się w otwarty spór w koalicji. Piotr Zgorzelski ostro zaatakował Katarzynę Pełczyńską-Nałęcz.
wprost · about 2 hours ago
Zgrzyt między PSL a Polską 2050 o projekt w sprawie alkoholu. "Nie chcę mieć nic wspólnego z taką koalicjantką" Sejm w piątek nie zajął się ustawą ograniczającą sprzedaż alkoholu. Na zmianę pierwotnego planu miała wpłynąć prośba ze strony PSL, co nie spodobało się liderce Polski 2050 Katarzynie Pełczyńskiej-Nałęcz. Na jej słowa ostro zareagował wicemarszałek Piotr Zgorzelski. — Nie chcę mieć nic wspólnego z taką koalicjantką. Myślę, że jestem [w koalicji], ale czy pani Pełczyńska-Nałęcz, pisząc takie głupoty, jest? Wątpię — powiedział.
onet · about 2 hours ago
„Wollen Sie Bundeskanzler werden?, wird Wüst auf der Bühne gefragt Ein Journalist setzt NRW-Ministerpräsident Hendrik Wüst in der Kanzler-Frage die Pistole auf die Brust. Um eine Aussage des Kanzlers zur Krankenversicherung gibt es Verwirrung. Mehr im Liveticker.
welt.de · about 2 hours ago