- Title: German state premier on defensive over close ties with VW
- Date: 6th August 2017
- Summary: HANOVER, GERMANY (AUGUST 6, 2017) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** LOWER SAXONY STATE PREMIER, STEPHAN WEIL ARRIVING TO MAKE STATEMENT SIGN OUTSIDE BUILDING, READING (German): "LOWER SAXONY STATE OFFICES" (SOUNDBITE) (German) LOWER SAXONY STATE PREMIER, STEPHAN WEIL, SAYING: "The insinuation that the Lower Saxony state government was influenced by a third party in an important matter is baseless. To the contrary, we acted very responsibly in a difficult situation, especially in light of the many thousands of jobs in Lower Saxony and across Germany." CAMERA LENS (SOUNDBITE) (German) LOWER SAXONY STATE PREMIER, STEPHAN WEIL, SAYING: "That's why I had a draft written by me for a speech to the state legislature sent to Volkswagen with the request to communicate legal or actual concerns. The references sent to us were in parts reflected and in other parts not. But in essence the speech remained totally unchanged and this goes especially for the clear and harsh criticism of Volkswagen's dealings with diesel gate. You will notice that in the speech in many parts." CAMERAMAN FILMING YOUTH WATCHING CAMERAMAN FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (German) LOWER SAXONY STATE PREMIER, STEPHAN WEIL, SAYING: "In hindsight I continue to believe that at the time, we acted correctly and according to our responsibility." ENTRANCE TO BUILDING (SOUNDBITE) (German) LOWER SAXONY STATE PREMIER, STEPHAN WEIL, SAYING: "This whole issue has been known in Lower Saxony for over a year and it was discussed at state level and in the state parliament. Since accusations are being made now it is safe to assume that they have to do with the current election campaign and this, I must say, I regret extraordinarily. Thank you very much." BAG WITH EQUIPMENT ON GROUND WEIL WALKING OFF AND ENTERING BUILDING
- Embargoed: 20th August 2017 16:28
- Keywords: VW emissions Lower Saxony Stephan Weil on defensive close ties with VW
- Location: HANOVER, GERMANY
- City: HANOVER, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA0016T0Q53B
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:The premier of Germany's state of Lower Saxony on Sunday (August 6) denied a newspaper report that he softened speeches critical of Volkswagen in the diesel emissions scandal at the company's request.
Stephan Weil, already facing an unexpected election after the defection of a member of his ruling coalition to Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives, is under fire for what some see as a too-cozy relationship with VW.
The mass circulation newspaper Bild am Sonntag quoted a VW employee as saying that the company "rewrote and watered down" an October 2015 speech by Weil to the state legislature about the diesel scandal after Weil shared a draft with the company.
Weil, who is a member of VW's supervisory board, said "the insinuation" was "baseless."
Lower Saxony holds a fifth of Volkswagen's voting rights. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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