Kathmandu, July 1: The German Embassy in Kathmandu has dismissed what it called false and misleading media reports linking Germany to Nepal’s ongoing corruption case involving the procurement of electronic passports.
The embassy issued a statement on social media on Wednesday after reports claimed Germany had formally protested Nepal following the filing of a corruption case against two German companies involved in the e-passport contract.
Nepal’s Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed a corruption case at the Special Court against 18 individuals, including two German firms, alleging irregularities in the procurement of 6.4 million electronic passports.
Responding to media reports, the embassy clarified that Nepal’s Chargé d’Affaires in Berlin was invited to a meeting at Germany’s Federal Foreign Office and was not summoned.
“It may seem like a small difference, but in diplomacy, it is an important distinction,” the embassy said.
The embassy also categorically denied reports that Germany had handed Nepal a protest note or any other diplomatic document regarding the e-passport case. It further said Germany had not issued any warning about possible consequences arising from the legal proceedings.
“Germany fully respects the independence of the judiciary. In fact, it is a principle enshrined in our constitution,” the embassy said.
It added that, as a matter of principle, the embassy does not comment on ongoing judicial proceedings and has not done so at any stage of the e-passport case.
The clarification comes amid heightened public attention over the CIAA’s prosecution of officials and foreign companies involved in one of Nepal’s largest public procurement cases. The embassy urged that its position be reflected accurately, stressing that diplomatic engagement should not be misrepresented through inaccurate reporting.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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