Bad Homburg: Suspected fraudulent residence permits
Investigative Committee in the Landtag: Files submitted to the public prosecutor
Mayor: I am convinced that everything has been done correctly
The suspicion of fraudulent residence permits in Bad Homburg is becoming more and more concrete. On Thursday, the investigative committee set up by the Hessian state parliament to investigate the allegations met in a non-public session.
According to information from this newspaper, the committee submitted the files to the public prosecutor's office on Thursday. The public prosecutor's office in Frankfurt confirmed upon request that it had received documents from the committee, but did not provide any further information due to ongoing investigations.
The allegations against the city administration and Mayor Alexander Hetjes (CDU) are serious. It is said that residence permits were issued to people who were not entitled to them. The investigative committee is now examining whether there were any irregularities in the process.
Mayor Hetjes has repeatedly rejected the allegations. "I am convinced that everything was done correctly in the issuing of residence permits," he said.
The investigative committee will continue its work in the coming weeks. It is expected to present a final report in the spring.
The allegations in detail
The allegations against the city of Bad Homburg were first made public in the summer of 2022. At the time, the "Frankfurter Rundschau" reported that the city had issued residence permits to people who did not meet the requirements.
The allegations relate to the period from 2015 to 2021. During this time, the city of Bad Homburg issued a total of 1,200 residence permits. According to the "Frankfurter Rundschau", around 100 of these residence permits are suspected of being fraudulent.
The allegations have been denied by Mayor Hetjes. He has repeatedly stated that the city has always followed the law in issuing residence permits.
The investigative committee
In order to investigate the allegations, the Hessian state parliament set up an investigative committee in September 2022. The committee is chaired by the Green politician Marcus Bocklet.
The investigative committee has the task of examining whether there were any irregularities in the issuing of residence permits in Bad Homburg. The committee can summon witnesses and request documents.
The investigative committee is expected to present a final report in the spring.
The consequences of the allegations
The allegations against the city of Bad Homburg have serious consequences. If the allegations are confirmed, the city could lose its right to issue residence permits. This would have a major impact on the city, as it would no longer be able to attract new residents.
In addition, the allegations could also damage the reputation of the city. Bad Homburg is known as a wealthy and attractive city. The allegations could damage this image.
The future of Bad Homburg
The allegations against the city of Bad Homburg are a serious matter. The city must now do everything it can to clear up the allegations. If the allegations are confirmed, the city must take steps to prevent such irregularities from happening again.
The future of Bad Homburg depends on the outcome of the investigation. If the allegations are cleared up, the city can continue to develop positively. However, if the allegations are confirmed, the city could face serious consequences.
