"During my term as party chairman I considered it necessary to treat certain matters secretly, such as special payments to party branches and organisations, for example as crucial assistance in the financing of their political work.

"Running accounts separately from the normal accounts of the party treasury seemed to me to be appropriate. In doing so, I always had complete confidence in Weyrauch & Kapp GmbH (an accounting firm that was responsible for handling donations to the party).

"I would add that personal confidence has throughout my political life been more important than purely formal scrutiny.

"If the consequence of this action was a lack of transparency and perhaps violations of rules on party financing, then I regret that. I did not want this, I wanted to serve my party.

"Bearing in mind the current public debate it is important to prevent my party suffering damage. I say this with regard to my party, its nearly 640,000 members and the new party leadership.

"Therefore it is important for me to take political responsibility for the mistakes made during my term of office.

"I reject in the strongest terms all allegations, in whatever form, that political decisions made by me could be bought.

"Anyone who knows me knows that the only responsibility I felt, and still feel, was towards the good of our country."