Leuna sale ,,used to finance German ministers"
PARIS The trial in Paris of Alfred Sirven, former right hand man of the then head of Elf, Loik Le Floch-Prigent, has heard how a businessman close to the German Christian Democrats used the sale of the East German oil refinery at Leuna to Elf to pay the equivalent of ¤39 million in ,,commissions", most of which went to ,,finance two former German ministers". The purpose of these ,,commissions"was allegedly to convince the ministers that the sale should go ahead.
Le Floch-Pringent has admitted in the mammoth trial that Elf had secret accounts for its worldwide deals. The trial is seeking to ascertain what happened to some ¤183 million; there are 30 defendants. Elf received ¤1 billion in subsidies for buying Leuna. The German authorities have found no proof that any money flowed into the coffers of the CDU.
Source:
European Foundation Intelligence Digest Issue No. 166, 01.05.2003