“ÖVP Minister Tanner delays the publication of a critical test report!”

A media report published yesterday and almost in the summer hole on massive structural defects in federal army procurement is, according to the FPÖ defense spokesman and chairman of the parliamentary state defense committee, NABG. Volker Reifenberger, a “further oath of revelation for the department led by ÖVP Minister Tanner”.

The fact that the Ministry of Defense, the explosive report of the specially established procurement test committee, wants to keep it as “not finalized” and keep it under closure is a transparent coverage or delay maneuver. “It is obviously an attempt to disguise unpleasant truths and hide your own failure. As chairman of the state defense committee, I am calling for the bypassing of the Commission report. We want to report the report 1: 1, as decided by the procurement test commission and without glossing corrections to the department and the minister!” Said Reifenberger.

For the freedom spokesman, the report confirms exactly those grievances that the FPÖ has been warning against for months and at the same time shows how important objective test researchers such as the procurement test commission are. “It is an incredible scandal that, at least informally, a culprit law is made – at least informally – a specific weapon system or armor -good is advertised as an alternative, and only then is it half -hearted on the public. It is tailored that the conditions of tender, which surprise, can only be met by a single manufacturer.

In particular, joining the “European Sky Shield Initiative” (Essi) is a prime example of the irresponsible policy of ÖVP Minister Tanner, who had completely betrayed with her public statements. In this context, Reifenberger is reminiscent of a press conference of the minister together with the Airchief in September 2023, where she already announced that Austria would buy four short-distance systems and four medium-sized route systems with three Werzers of the Iris-T product from the German manufacturer Diehl. “Here the hasty type decision was even announced for the media before the procurement procedure started. Of course, Tanner received cold feet a short time later and withdrawn the type decision-at least in the media. But only to step on to Sky Shield and then not buy Iris-T would make no sense, because the Sky Shield initiative is one of them, among other things Marketing platform for the German armaments group Diehl.

The fact that the test commission also found serious procedural defects in addition to Sky Shield also in the procurement of the C-390 transport aircraft and even in combat boots that they are not individual cases, but a structural failure in the ministry. “It finally needs a ruthless clarification of all procurement processes. We will urge the committee exactly because it is about the security of Austria and a responsible handling of the taxpayers’ money!” Asked Reifenberger.