CDU ordered to pay new fine

Kohl has been the target of a parliamentary inquiry

BERLIN, Germany (Reuters) -- The German parliament slapped a new fine of 3.44 million marks ($1.5 million) on the opposition Christian Democrats on Friday for illegal party donations accepted under the leadership of former Chancellor Helmut Kohl.

Parliamentary speaker Wolfgang Thierse, a member of the ruling Social Democrats, had already imposed a record 41 million marks in fines in February for violations of funding laws during Kohl's 16-year rule.

Thierse told a news conference the new fine related to large donations the party had failed to declare, including money accepted from the arms industry lobbyist Karlheinz Schreiber.

The party is contesting the 41 million mark penalty but Thierse said it had already paid a separate 4.35 million mark fine imposed this summer relating specifically to an admission by Kohl that he accepted about $1 million in illegal funds.

Kohl, who was hit in the face with a cream cake on Thursday as he signed copies of his memoirs in a Berlin bookshop, has collected millions of marks to help pay the fines.

Under German party funding laws, parties must pay a fine of double the amount of undeclared fundraising and it falls to the parliamentary speaker to impose the penalty.

Since last December, Kohl, 70, has been the target of a parliamentary inquiry into the funding scandal. He also faces a criminal investigation and has continued to defy the law by refusing to identify the donors.

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November 27, 2000
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November 19, 2000
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October 1, 2000

Christian Democratic Union party

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