Conflicts - Bushman: Will not force Ukrainians into military service
According to Federal Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann, Ukraine 's problems with mobilizing soldiers to fend off the Russian invasion will have no practical consequences for Ukrainians living in Germany. "It will not be the case that we force people to do compulsory military service or military service against their will," the FDP politician told the German Press Agency.
It was good that the war refugees from Ukraine had been accepted into Germany in an uncomplicated procedure and had been given the opportunity to work. "After all, we are trying to get more people from Ukraine into work and fewer of them end up living on citizen's benefits," he added.
Appeal from Kiev
There are currently discussions in Ukraine about how the army can recruit more soldiers. The military wants to mobilize an additional 450,000 to 500,000 men. The Ministry of Defense in Kiev has appealed to Ukrainians abroad who have fled the war to return and defend their homeland. However, there are no plans to bring men back from abroad under pressure and call them up.
"I cannot imagine, as our constitution stipulates that German citizens do not have to serve in the armed forces against their will, that we can force people from other countries to do so," said Buschmann. Union parliamentary group deputy Johann Wadephul (CDU), on the other hand, showed understanding for the concerns of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense. "It is an urgent moral appeal and we should certainly support it politically. These people are here because there is a war going on - and they simply have to make a contribution to ending this war," said Wadephul on TV station Welt.
Bushman against compulsory military service
Buschmann emphasized that he was also against reactivating compulsory military service, as Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) has suggested. He believes it is "wrong from both a security policy and civil rights perspective to force young people to do anything against their will". Weapons technology is so complex today that the Bundeswehr needs "highly qualified professionals". A short training course is not enough.
Buschmann did civilian service as a young man, but would do it differently today. "I later withdrew my refusal and also took part in a military exercise at the infantry school in Hammelburg," he told dpa. He sees some things differently today than when he was 17 or 18, partly because times have changed. The early 90s were characterized by optimism when it came to democracy, free trade and human rights. Today, the situation is different: "There is terror, there is autocracy, there is a willingness to take very tough action against the values of democracy, the rule of law and human rights, including by military means."
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- Despite the call from Kiev for Ukrainians abroad to return and defend their homeland, the German Federal Government, led by Justice Minister Marco Buschmann, has made it clear that compulsory military service will not be imposed on Ukrainian residents in Germany.
- The conflict in Ukraine and its subsequent migration crisis have brought up discussions about compulsory military service, a topic that has sparked debate within Germany, with politicians like Johann Wadephul of the CDU showing understanding for the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense's call.
- Marco Buschmann, the German Federal Minister of Justice, has firmly opposed the reinstatement of compulsory military service, citing both security policy and civil rights concerns.
- German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) has suggested reactivating compulsory military service, a proposal that Buschmann finds troubling from both a security policy and civil rights perspective.
- The complexity of modern weapons technology necessitates highly skilled professionals in the German military, making a short training course insufficient for effective service.
- In a stark contrast to his young years, when he served civilian service and participated in a military exercise, Buschmann now expresses a different viewpoint due to changes in societal climate and geopolitical landscape, marked by terror, autocracy, and threats to democracy, the rule of law, and human rights.
- While the issue of compulsory military service has gained attention due to the conflict in Ukraine, it's important to note that other global concerns, such as climate change records and terror threats, continue to pose significant challenges for governments around the world, including Germany.
Source: www.stern.de
