Deutsche Post suspends legal chief for spying on regulator
German national mail carrier Deutsche Post has suspended its head of legal affairs for sending private detectives to spy on government regulators and rival firms, according to a report Sunday.
Other managers learned of the operation _ launched last year as the government-controlled firm prepared to launch on the stock market _ only earlier this month, German news magazine Focus said, citing a Deutsche Post spokesman.
The spying “was inappropriate, wasn’t agreed and won’t be tolerated,” spokesman Gert Shukies was quoted as saying, confirming that legal chief Klaus Engelen had been suspended and that the company would apologize to the regulator.
According to Focus, Engelen told Berlin-based detectives to find out whether the post and telecommunications regulator, RegTP, was prepared to give tips to rivals trying to break its letter monopoly.
The undercover detectives also visited a German association of international express mail companies, which includes U.S. freight giant United Parcel Service, the report said.
The government sold 29 percent of Deutsche Post for 6.6 billion euros (dlrs 5.8 billion) last November.
Parliament is expected to endorse this year a law that would allow the government to give up its majority as early as next year, though officials say the timing will depend on market conditions.
Shares in the company have slumped since last fall’s IPO, despite parliament’s decision earlier this month to extend its lucrative domestic letter monopoly by five years through the end of 2007.
AP WORLDSTREAM, 29th July 2001
