In an exclusive interview with RTL on Wednesday evening, Prime Minister Luc Frieden addressed the ongoing Caritas case, a topic that has been on everyone’s lips in recent months. The Christian Social People’s Party (CSV) politician emphasised that while a solution was being worked on over the summer, it was not always feasible to communicate clearly on a day-to-day basis.
However, the two primary objectives have now been achieved, according to the PM: Caritas operations will continue and its employees are to retain their jobs.
Read also: Majority of Caritas employees transition to new employer HUTFrieden acknowledged that the process would have been smoother if the Church had contributed funds to establish a new structure. He suggested asking Cardinal Hollerich if the issue was purely financial. He then added that “it would have been easier if the founder of the current Caritas had also founded the new structure”.
As for the involvement of banks in the embezzlement case, Frieden refrained from commenting on their responsibility.
Read also: Searches conducted at Spuerkees, BGL BNP Paribas amid Caritas investigationHe clarified that the government was not able to provide financial assistance to Caritas ahead of the restructuring due to the risk of having to repay loans that were improperly issued. He stated that, like many Luxembourgers, he was surprised that so many transfers occurred without raising alarms. He called for a thorough review by the European Central Bank (ECB) and the Financial Sector Supervisory Commission (CSSF), asserting that the responsibility lies with these institutions, not the State nor the Chamber.
Regarding the recent push by the Luxembourg Socialist Workers’ Party (LSAP) for a parliamentary special commission, Frieden said he had no objections but is of the opinion that all questions had been addressed, leaving any remaining concerns to the judiciary.
In his interview, Frieden also addressed the recent escalation in the Middle East, calling for all sides to exercise restraint. He emphasised that avoiding further terror, hatred, and violence is essential to prevent the situation from worsening. Frieden specifically directed this message to the US and the UK, who had immediately supported Israel following the attacks linked to Iran.
“When a country is attacked, especially a democracy like Israel, it is natural to condemn the aggressor. However, that does not justify any other form of violence, regardless of its source, particularly when it leads to escalating hatred”, Frieden said. He urged everyone as well as surrounding countries to “ease off” to avoid a long-lasting conflict, warning that peace in the region would be impossible for years to come if tensions continue rising.
The Prime Minister described the situation as “already dramatic”, not just for the people in the region but for global stability. He also noted that European nations, though not yet unified on a common position, are actively working towards one.
