Europe

Neighbors find secret documents in German chancellor's trash: Report

Papers, some clearly marked classified, found in bins outside Olaf Scholz's apartment in Potsdam, reports Der Spiegel

Büşra Selvi Öğütcen  | 24.07.2022 - Update : 25.07.2022
Neighbors find secret documents in German chancellor's trash: Report German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (C) with his wife Britta Ernst (R)

ANKARA 

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his wife Britta Ernst threw away confidential government documents in their household garbage, according to a report by local news outlet Der Spiegel. 

The documents, some clearly marked “classified information – for official use only,” were found by neighbors in garbage bins outside the chancellor’s apartment in Potsdam, the report said.

There were also documents from last month’s G7 summit in Bavaria, including profiles of the bloc’s leaders and their partners and spouses.

They were apparently thrown out by Ernst, who is also the education minister for the state of Brandenburg, the report said.

It is against official rules for classified documents to be disposed of in such a manner, with the proper way being destroying them in a way that leaves their content indecipherable.​​​​​​​

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