Haste times 18.384,54 Euro? Patricia Schlesinger, director of Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB), who was dismissed without notice, would like to receive this sum per month as a "pension".
This is the ominous special payment that was written into the contracts of RBB (and some other ARD broadcasters and ZDF). It means that between the end of the contract period and the entry into retirement age, an obolus flows. Sometimes even beyond. Schlesinger complains, as the district court of Berlin at the request of the German press Agency without naming and as her lawyer confirmed with sum and name.
"Fabricated" accusations?
"Even if the fabricated allegations against the client had any justification, it would be completely exaggerated to deprive her of the company pension that she has earned in over 30 years," said Schlesinger's lawyer Ralf Höcker.
We will see how "constructed" the allegations are when the Berlin Public Prosecutor's Office has completed its investigation. And as far as the contracts are concerned, the matter is at its best: First, the RBB leadership clique, which has since been dismissed, has "pensions" and bonus payments written into the papers, and then they sue for compliance with the contracts. Not only Schlesinger does this, but another four ex-top executives do the same.
If the former director, who is burdened with allegations of felt, succeeds with her lawsuit, in the future, if we have calculated correctly, 1001 contributors in this country will pay their monthly fee of 18.36 euros alone to satisfy Schlesinger's greed for pensions. This mercilessly makes it clear that there is some truth to the accusation of self-service mentality and that the public broadcasting system needs a radical cure.
Limiting power and money
The power and salaries of the directors must be limited urgently, said the head of the state chancellery of Saxony-Anhalt, Rainer Robra (CDU), in the F.A.Z. (17 February) rightly. He proposes a "management structure" of the broadcasters, which is based "on the board constitution for stock corporations". That would at least provide more transparency.
Currently, Patricia Schlesinger receives no money from the station, said RBB, which is otherwise silent on the case for legal reasons. In the interests of the fee payers, one can only hope that it stays that way. If things turn out differently, Schlesinger will put another nail in the coffin of public broadcasting.