Germany’s Ministry of Defense is facing backlash for its intention to allocate €825 million for new parade uniforms for the Bundeswehr, the country’s military. The proposal was revealed by Bild and submitted to the Bundestag’s budget committee on Thursday, November 21.
According to the report, €306 million of the €825 million requested has already been approved under a contract, but the funds have not yet been spent due to the postponement of the project as a result of the war in Ukraine. Now, the Ministry of Defense is seeking approval for the remaining €519 million for the parade uniforms at the next budget committee meeting.
In response, Ingo Gädechens, a member of the Bundestag’s budget committee from the opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU), strongly criticized the plan. Speaking to Bild, he described it as an “absurd prioritization” to spend such a large amount on military clothing that would not make the Bundeswehr more combat-ready.
“Over €800 million is an incredibly large sum, and it raises many questions,” Gädechen stated.
