Till Backhaus defends whale rescue operation decisions

Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Environment Minister Till Backhaus has responded to allegations regarding the controversial rescue operation of a humpback whale stranded near Poel. Following the review of approximately 1,700 pages of files, reports surfaced suggesting that the rescue effort was marked by chaos and that Jörn Mothes, a high-ranking official in the ministry, was driven to sick leave due to the Minister's decisions.

Backhaus has rejected claims that he caused an official to fall ill, stating instead that the employee required medical leave due to extreme workloads and exhaustion following the intensive rescue operation, which involved working late nights and weekends.

Regarding the legality of the operation, Backhaus clarified that the ministry was not required to approve the rescue attempt, but rather had the authority to prohibit it if it were clearly unlawful. He noted that multiple departments, including the State Office for Environment, Nature and Geology (LUNG), provided assessments. He maintained that the decision to tolerate the private rescue initiative was based on the consensus that there was no legal basis for a prohibition.