The Sports Museum in Esch has become the focus of a new investigation

The Parliamentary Committee on Budgetary Control has launched a detailed inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the cancellation of the National Sports Museum project in Esch-sur-Alzette. Although the project has been officially shelved and a high-profile resignation has already taken place within the government – with Sports Minister Georges Mischo stepping down – opposition MPs are insisting that the inquiry continue. Legislators are focusing on issues of legal liability and possible breaches in the awarding of contracts.

A key focus of the inquiry has been the memorandum of understanding signed between the Ministry of Sport and a private property development company. MPs are attempting to piece together the sequence of events and determine at what point the Cabinet was informed of the details of the deal. At this stage, the committee has already sent 39 follow-up questions to the government, but the opposition has described the responses received as ‘unsatisfactory and vague’.

Of particular interest to the investigation is the report by the Financial Inspectorate (IGF), which is currently classified. Opposition MPs are calling for the document to be made public, believing it contains direct references to procedural errors. The situation is complicated by the fact that the initial construction plan for the Lankelz area was blocked due to a no-build zone, and the subsequent attempt to relocate the museum to the Rout Lëns area resulted in allegations of non-compliance with public procurement rules.

It is planned to involve the Parliament’s research department in the proceedings to conduct a parallel analysis of the legal aspects of the case. The following are due to appear before the committee in the near future:

• Martine Hansen – Minister for Sport;
• Gilles Roth – Minister of Finance;
• Yuriko Backes is the Minister for Public Works.

If the government fails to provide comprehensive information, the opposition has not ruled out setting up a special parliamentary committee of inquiry. The committee’s main task at present is to establish which officials were aware of the legal obstacles and why this costly project continued to proceed despite expert advice.