As of: February 27, 2024, 7:24 p.m
By: Andreas Jäger
Comments
Press
Split
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) wants to accelerate military construction projects with an action plan.
© Marcus Brandt/dpa/archive image
Military construction projects should go faster in the future.
According to the Defense Minister, the current pace is no longer appropriate for the changing times.
Berlin – For a long time, the topic of national defense played only a very minor role in German politics.
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, things have changed dramatically.
“We have to become ready for war,” said Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) recently.
And in order to achieve this “goal of warworthiness,” “the time factor in infrastructure is the decisive factor,” said Pistorius on Monday in Berlin after consultations with representatives of the federal states about an “infrastructure action plan.”
Fewer approval procedures by prioritizing Bundeswehr construction projects
The goal of the plan: accelerate military construction projects.
Due to prioritization, these projects will no longer have to go through a new approval process in each individual federal state.
The aim is also to increase the use of general contractors, to combine the procurement of armaments and infrastructure and to relieve the state construction authorities of smaller orders.
Pistorius: At the current rate, “we need around 25 years” for renovation
If we continue at the current pace, “then we would need around 25 years to meet the Bundeswehr’s fixed infrastructure renovation and renewal needs of an estimated 24 billion euros,” explained the Defense Minister.
However, this is not a criticism of the countries, but rather a question of resources and prioritization.
“It should be clear to everyone that this is not acceptable in times of change.
We can’t wait that long,” said Pistorius.
In order to strengthen the military capability of the NATO countries, the Defense Minister recently concluded an agreement with Lithuania - a fully operational Bundeswehr brigade will be stationed there from 2027.
Over the next four years, the construction of barracks and residential buildings is planned in Rudninkai near the capital Vilnius and in Rukla near Kaunas.
The Defense Minister sees suspending compulsory military service as a “mistake”
There is also ongoing discussion about compulsory military service - Pistorius described its suspension as a “mistake” in an interview with the
editorial network Germany
.
In the past, there was someone sitting at every other kitchen table “who knew the Bundeswehr from the inside and talked about comrades or barracks,” said Pistorius.
This anchoring in broader society is missing today.
“Conscription or general service could make a contribution to this.”
(ja/dpa)