“In the past few weeks, it has become unequivocally clear: Europe is facing a change of time. We have not chosen this era of the upgrade, but we can very well choose how we can handle it, ”says David Stögmüller, spokesman for the Greens, on the occasion of today’s state defense committee. “We see the fact that the EU wants to strengthen its defense ability with a package of billions of billions as a necessary development. At the same time, however, it must be ensured that these funds are not at the expense of other essential areas such as combating the climate crisis or social security. Austria has a responsibility for its own security, but also for a stable Europe. This must not be considered in isolation, but must always be in accordance with other political priorities, ”says Stögmüller.
“It is particularly important to us that these defense investments also have clear democratic control. Therefore, today we brought in the committee to use an independent control commission for the procurement in the framework of the European Sky Shield Initiative (Essi). This is intended to ensure that transparency and efficiency remain preserved and tax money is used as best as possible, ”explains Stögmüller. The Greens’ proposal to Sky Shield’s joint commitment was accepted with votes by ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS. “The non -partisan shoulder also shows how seriously the topic is taken.”
“Especially in times of upgrade, control is more important than ever,” explains Stögmüller and further: “This application is only the first step for us. While it has to be about invested in our self -defense in a controlled manner, platforms of armaments control must also be strengthened. We want to continue to work on the enforcement of the nuclear weapons ban and achieve a national ban from fully autonomous weapons systems. We have already submitted applications for this. ”
Austria is a pioneer of armaments control: the ‘Vienna Declaration’ and the ‘Vienna Action Plan’ continue to form the core of the implementation for the nuclear weapon ban. Vienna is also a central location for international efforts against fully autonomous weapons systems. “We must not neglect this responsibility. Especially now Austria has to act more active and determined in international security and disarmament policy. A sustainable security strategy not only means defense, but also active diplomacy and control, ”says Stögmüller.
OTS original text press release with the exclusive in terms of content of the sender – www.ots.at | FMB