How can Germany better arm itself against disasters like the recent floods?
In a special meeting of the interior committee, Seehofer is now campaigning for warnings by mobile phone.
Berlin - There was probably resistance in the federal government to local warnings from the population by mobile phone before the storm disaster in western Germany.
Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) confirmed in the Bundestag before a special meeting of the Interior Committee that "not everyone has always been enthusiastic about the idea in recent months."
"But I have decided that we will do it and do it, there is absolutely no reasonable argument against it," he added.
Cell broadcasting warning
The President of the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Aid (BBK), Armin Schuster, had already commissioned a feasibility study in spring to warn by cell broadcasting.
According to reports, the head of the authority, which is subordinate to the Ministry of the Interior, also wanted to convince other departments - including the Ministry of Economics.
With cell broadcasting, a message is sent to cell phone users, similar to an SMS - to all recipients who are currently in the radio cell in question.
Data protectionists consider this technology, which is already used in many other countries, to be relatively harmless.
Seehofer against responsibility at the federal level
In the opinion of the Federal Minister of the Interior, the federal government should also not assume responsibility for disaster control.
The decisions necessary in the event of a disaster would have to continue to be made locally, intervening in the competencies of the states and municipalities would be the wrong way, said the CSU politician.
The minister emphasized that the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK) should only take on a stronger coordinating role.
“The BBK will be a competence center in the future”, this was agreed by the federal and state interior ministers' conference before the devastating floods in western Germany.
The management of acute disaster situations has so far been the responsibility of the federal states and municipalities.
For its part, the federal government has the task of protecting the population in the event of a defense.
Some experts consider this division to be out of date.
In the storm in Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia, at least 179 people were killed in the week before last.
Dozens are still missing.
dpa