Defence: No veto against allowances for Lithuania Brigade – but questions

There is a new debate about money between Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD). According to information from the news magazine “Der Spiegel”, this is about the draft law with which Pistorius wants to introduce new financial allowances for soldiers. This is intended, among other things, to improve the pay, compensation and care of the soldiers who will serve in the planned combat brigade in Lithuania.

Lindner denied that he had objected to the bill. “No, I am not vetoing allowances for the Lithuania Brigade. But my experts have questions,” wrote the finance minister on platform X. The Federal Ministry of Finance is “not an agency where taxpayers’ money can simply be ordered.”

According to “Spiegel”, State Secretary for Finance Steffen Saebisch informed the defense department in an email on May 21st that his house contradicted the initiation of the departmental vote. Instead, the defense department must explain in detail “whether and, if so, to what extent the article law can be financed,” the news magazine quoted from the letter. Before the project can be further processed, all expected budget expenditures must be presented in all individual plans.

This puts the plan of Defense Minister Pistorius to get the allowance regulation through the cabinet before the summer break at risk. When asked by “Spiegel”, Pistorius said he was “a little surprised” because the details of the law had actually been agreed with Lindner’s office in advance. He will stick to his plan and talk to the Finance Minister.