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This was reported by the “Kleine Zeitung” (Wednesday). The Ministry of the Interior confirmed that “the Italian embassy in Vienna was informed that on 04/15/23 a train will carry out a transport of M109 self-propelled howitzers from Italy to Poland”. There was no permit for this. It wouldn’t have needed it either if the transport actually ended in Poland. However, the tanks are destined for the Ukraine and are therefore coming to a third country.
Does this require a permit?
This is because transit between EU countries does not require a permit under certain conditions and does not need to be registered or approved. However, if war material is to be transported to a third country (such as Ukraine), a permit is required, it said. Approval must be given prior to transport. If an application is submitted, the law stipulates that the interior, foreign and defense ministries examine it. A subsequent application makes no sense.
Part of a military aid package
The convoys had already caused a stir in Italy. The train, filmed by some people with cellphones on Friday, passed through Udine train station towards Austria at low speed. Italian Minister for Relations with Parliament Luca Ciriani told public broadcaster Rai that these were “self-propelled artillery vehicles” destined for Ukraine and part of a military aid package approved by the previous government decided by Prime Minister Mario Draghi and delivered this week.
Draghi’s successor, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, supports arms deliveries to Ukraine. On the other hand, her two coalition partners – Matteo Salvini from the right-wing Lega and Silvio Berlusconi from the conservative Forza Italia – repeatedly made pro-Russian statements.
“Tough Scandal”
The spokesman for the Freedom Party, Volker Reifenberger, spoke of a “solid scandal” and “illegal arms deliveries”. The FPÖ MP blamed the federal government. “The black-green government simply can’t guarantee our neutrality,” said Reifenberger. “Arms deliveries to a warring country” should not go through Austrian territory.
Source: Nachrichten
