Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD) has denied that there is currently any further need for reform in the procurement system of the Bundeswehr.

In doing so, she opposed Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP), who had called for "powerful and courageous reforms" after the armaments system had been "insufficiently" organized for many years.

Peter Carstens

Political correspondent in Berlin

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During a visit to the Armed Forces Catering Office in Oldenburg on Wednesday, the minister said that "a lot has been reformed in terms of procurement, and after we have ensured that the Bundeswehr is equipped with a 100 billion euro special fund". From their point of view, it is now a matter "that we get the infrastructure projects that are pending up and running".

This refers to barracks and depots, but also sports facilities, such as a swimming pool for the training of navy combat swimmers that has been missing for years.

The "bottleneck" that often exists in the federal states must be "opened" so that the Bundeswehr can get the structural infrastructure it urgently needs more quickly.

Lambrecht thus countered a statement by the FDP chairman Lindner, who had written to Lambrecht last week to put an end to the “inadequate civilian and military management” of recent years.

Lindner's party had already called for a comprehensive reform of the procurement office for the federal elections, which the grand coalition of CDU/CSU and SPD failed to do.

Comprehensive reorientation

According to the FDP politician in a letter dated July 5, which was initially quoted by the magazine Der Spiegel, the Act to Acceleration for Procurement Projects could be “only a first step”.

After setting up the 100 billion euro special fund, according to Lindner, “this extraordinary financial effort” must be accompanied and implemented by “reforms that are at least as powerful as they are bold.

Both – adequate financial resources and far-reaching reforms – are two sides of the same coin.” Lindner called for “far-reaching and rapid reforms”, whereas Lambrecht considers the work on it to be complete.

The finance minister explained that he and his ministry were "always ready to support and constructively accompany the reform process".

Lambrecht said it was necessary

You, Lambrecht, have also ensured that use can always be made of exceptions in European public procurement law in the future if it serves national security and is urgent.

Since the start of the Ukraine war, the Bundeswehr has been at the beginning of a comprehensive realignment.

Procurement decisions were made in the ministry, such as personal equipment, the Tornado successor to combat aircraft and heavy transport helicopters, which, like many other purchases in the coming months and years, must now be set down in contracts and actually supplied.

Lambrecht is currently on a summer trip and is getting to know many Bundeswehr locations for the first time.