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German Chancellor Angela Merkel will have to reveal the details of a private dinner with Deutsche Bank Chairman Josef Ackermann. The corresponding decision was made by the Supreme Administrative Court of Berlin and Brandenburg. The lawsuit was filed by the head of the NGO Foodwatch, Thilo Bode, and lawyer Katya Pink, who suspected the chancellor of embezzlement of budget funds.

The ill-fated dinner took place on April 22, 2008 at the Federal Office of the Chancellor behind closed doors and, according to German media, was timed to coincide with the 60th birthday of Mr. Ackermann, the head of the country's largest private bank. Soon after this, a number of representatives of the parliamentary opposition and NGOs accused Angela Merkel of organizing a private holiday with taxpayers' money and having too close contacts with big business. Mrs. Merkel's representative explained then that it was a business dinner and the banker's birthday was only an excuse for the meeting.

Nevertheless, Thilo Bode and Katja Pink filed a lawsuit. On April 7, 2011, he obliged the government to disclose the details of the holiday: the full list of guests (there were about 30), menu, cost of food and service (it is known that waiter services cost €2,100). At the same time, the court allowed not to disclose the name of one of the Bundestag deputies present at the anniversary and part of Mrs. Merkel’s speech. The court's decision was appealed by both parties. And now the Supreme Administrative Court of Berlin and Brandenburg has satisfied the plaintiffs' demands to make public the full list of guests and the transcript of the Chancellor's speech. This ruling is final.

Elena Chernenko

Angela Merkel was billed for dinner