After announced and then relativized reform plans for the Austrian army, the criticism of Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner (ÖVP) does not stop. SPÖ managing director Christian Deutsch spoke on Saturday of a “Minister of Uncertainty”, FPÖ general secretary Michael Schnedlitz called her a “completely incompetent” minister and called for her resignation.
“Tanner is doing everything wrong that you can only do wrong as a minister,” saved German in a broadcast on Saturday, not with criticism. “She is constantly caught up in contradictions and makes bizarre media appearances,” said the SPÖ politician. Deutsch stated that Tanner had decidedly ruled out the closing of barracks recently, but now considers it possible again, “caused great uncertainty”, and continued: “The title of Minister of Uncertainty instead of Minister of Defense would rather do justice to Tanner.”
SPÖ national defense spokesman Robert Laimer fully endorsed the criticism. “One day Tanner speaks of a location guarantee for the barracks, the next day of only maintaining the garrisons,” he criticized by sending and concludes: “The minister is obviously completely overwhelmed.” According to Laimer, nobody knows anything about this “ÖVP-caused chaos”. “One day it is said that the army is geared towards disaster protection, the next day military national defense is recognized as a core competence,” he said, confused.
The SPÖ is angry that neither the Federal President as Commander in Chief of the Federal Army nor the Federal States as those affected by barracks closures have been informed of the Army plans. “Simply ignoring the commander-in-chief of the army and leaving it out politically is a disavowal that is second to none,” criticized Laimer.
The FPÖ is of the opinion that Defense Minister Tanner is “no longer viable in this office” after the discussions of the past few days and must “resign immediately”. Secretary-General Schnedlitz criticized this request, saying that Tanner “was completely incompetent in the field of defense policy and was only used to obey the orders of the Kurz troops”. Schnedlitz suspects that the “ÖVP aims to destroy the Austrian Armed Forces and thereby sacrifice our neutrality”, as he announced.
Neos suspect diversions
Meanwhile, the Neos have got the impression that Tanner is less about a federal army reform and more about a diversionary maneuver of issues that are unpleasant for the ÖVP, for example in the Ibiza-U committee. “Instead of permanently standing up to the army, the opposition and the citizens through the media, Tanner should stimulate a real reform process,” Neos defense spokesman Douglas Hoyos said on Saturday.
Tanner defended her plans in the Ö1 “Journal zu Gast” on Saturday. In addition to the “consolidation program” at barracks in Vienna and further merging of outdated barracks in the federal states, there are also investments in new buildings, she said. Military defense remains “of course the core task” of the Federal Army, said Tanner, contradicting information from a background discussion by her cabinet. “We are at the beginning of a reform process,” the minister emphasized once again, and this reform process also includes “streamlining structures”. (apa)
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