German prosecutors drop probe of Green leaders over bonuses

BERLIN (AP) — German prosecutors have dropped an investigation into the former leadership of Germany’s Green party, including the country’s current vice chancellor and foreign minister, over pandemic bonus payments last winter. Berlin prosecutors said in January that they had opened an investigation into a preliminary suspicion of breach of trust. They said Wednesday that they have now closed the proceedings because that suspicion wasn’t confirmed. At issue was the role of the party leadership in approving the “corona bonus” of 1,500 euros ($1,650) per person for employees of party headquarters and the leaders themselves. The six-member leadership board included the party’s co-leaders at the time, Robert Habeck and Annalena Baerbock.