Lindner's team seeks clarification from Pistorius.
The Defense Minister is planning to introduce a new allowance regulation for soldiers in the Lithuanian brigade before the summer break. This move is aimed at attracting personnel and boosting operational readiness. However, there are financial concerns complicating the matter.
A financial debate is brewing between Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius. The crux of the issue involves the proposed bill aimed at providing financial allowances for soldiers. Among other things, this measure is meant to enhance the salaries, compensation, and benefits for those who will be serving in the planned combat brigade in Lithuania.
Lindner maintains that he has not voiced any objections to the bill. "No, I'm not vetoing allowances for the Lithuania brigade. But my experts have questions," Lindner explained on Platform X. The Finance Ministry, according to Lindner, operates differently - it's not a place where taxpayer money can be handed out without proper consideration.
As per "Der Spiegel," State Secretary of Finance Steffen Saebisch had notified the defense department in an email on May 21 that his department objected to the initiation of the departmental coordination. Instead, the defense department would need to provide detailed information on whether and how the article law can be funded. All projected budget expenditures in all individual plans would need to be presented for the project to move forward.
This could thwart Defense Minister Pistorius' plan of passing the allowance regulation through the cabinet before the summer break. When questioned by "Spiegel," Pistorius was slightly startled, admitting that the details had actually been discussed with Lindner's team previously. He remains committed to his plan and intends to discuss the matter with the finance minister. The law, according to the draft, is aimed at "promoting personnel growth and strengthening readiness."
Presently, Pistorius is dealing with numerous construction sites. The main concern is the 2025 federal budget, and negotiations within the federal government are focused on austerity measures. Pistorius is said to have requested an additional 6.7 billion euros - whether he'll receive it remains to be seen. The current defense budget stands at around 52 billion euros. There will also be likely negotiations surrounding long-term financial planning, as the 100 billion euro special fund to strengthen the Bundeswehr is likely to run out soon. This fund was established in 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
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Source: www.ntv.de
