The defense minister apparently wants to implement the restructuring of the Bundeswehr quickly.
(Photo: IMAGO/photothek)
Berlin Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) apparently wants to speed up the procurement processes of the Bundeswehr. This is reported by the magazine “Spiegel” with reference to the ministry’s internal drafts, which are said to be presented to the public in mid-May. According to this, Pistorius had two orders drawn up by State Secretary Benedikt Zimmer and the new Inspector General Carsten Breuer.
The Russian war of aggression in Ukraine requires a “fundamental paradigm shift to increase the operational readiness as quickly as possible” of the German armed forces, the “Spiegel” quotes from the draft of the Zimmer decree. With immediate effect, the purchase of new material must be “significantly faster, more effective and less bureaucratic” than before.
“The time factor has the highest priority and is decisive with immediate effect as the essential factor of all current and new armaments projects,” quoted the “Spiegel” further.
All internal Bundeswehr “regulations that tighten legal regulations are hereby suspended,” according to the “Spiegel” in the draft. The discretionary power should be used “in the sense of acceleration”. “Market availability is the fundamental solution to be provided,” writes Zimmer, according to the magazine. Material should therefore be purchased that other armies also use. In addition, planning processes should be accelerated and the self-responsibility of the troops strengthened, according to the “Spiegel”.
In addition, Boris Pistorius wants to implement the announced restructuring of his ministry’s management structure by the end of May. This was announced by his ministry on Thursday evening. The minister is concerned with “implementing the turning point faster and more powerfully and making it visible in the ministry,” it said.
Pistorius wants to revive the central planning staff
The central element is a new planning and management staff. Pistorius had announced that this should be led by Brigadier General Christian Freuding. On Thursday, the minister presented his plans at staff meetings in Berlin and Bonn. A previous planning staff for the analysis of strategic military objectives was abolished in 2012 by then Minister Thomas de Maizière.
There had been criticism of the structures and long decision-making processes in the Ministry of Defense and subordinate federal authorities because of the slow start to the course correction after the Russian attack on Ukraine.
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“The new staff will ensure that the decision-making documents for the management level are better prepared. In addition, the staff ensures that the decisions of the management level are carried back into the house and implemented there quickly,” the ministry said. “No new posts will be created for the new staff. Instead, the offices of the state secretaries, the inspector general and the minister will be reduced accordingly.”
In addition to the introduction of the new management staff, two staffs are to be transferred to departments, as the ministry explained: “The “Organization and Auditing” staff will be merged into the Legal Department. The “strategic armament control” staff will be transferred to the equipment department.” In a further step, the work of the departments will soon be reviewed. “Then it will be a matter of dismantling possible duplicate structures and improving coordination.”
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