Hof/Bamberg (dpa/lby) – Bamberg’s mayor Andreas Starke (SPD) rules out resignation after a penalty order against him. “Resignation is not an option. Period!” He told the “Fränkischer Tag” (Friday edition). “I’m up to the challenge and will of course ensure that further decisions are made beyond the consequences already drawn in order to learn from the process.”
The public prosecutor’s office in Hof announced on Thursday that a penalty order of 24,000 euros had been issued against Starke. He is said to have embezzled city funds. In addition to Starke, three other employees of the Bamberg city administration received fines of at least 9,000 euros. The penal orders only become final if no objection is raised. Otherwise, there will be an oral hearing before the court.
In an interview with the newspaper, Starke left open whether he wanted to appeal: “It’s still too early for a decision. First I need an analysis of the reasoning behind the penalty order. I’ll also get legal advice on this.” He wanted to “make his decision primarily against the background of the well-being of the city”.
Starke is said to have paid city employees significant sums for overtime. The procedure was criticized in an audit report by the Bavarian Municipal Audit Association. The city is said to have illegally paid overtime, time premiums and bonuses from 2011 to 2017. The city of Bamberg suffered damage totaling 275,000 euros. The public prosecutor’s office in Hof, together with the Coburg criminal police, began the investigation in 2020 and in the meantime also searched the premises of the city administration.
“It’s extremely uncomfortable, touched me a lot and didn’t leave me untouched,” said Starke. “But I deal with it self-critically and of course I also think: What could I have done differently, what influence could I have exerted differently. Humility is good.”
