Today in Germany: A roundup of the latest news on Tuesday
Germany to present new pension package, Defence Minister reportedly proposes mandatory military service and more news from around the country on Tuesday.
Germany to launch new pension package
After months of planning, the German government is set to present its new pension package on Tuesday: They will be investing in the stock market to secure funding for the statutory pension insurance scheme for the first time. In the long term, this is meant to ease the burden on contributors and the overall federal budget.
As part of the plan, at least €200 billion in capital stock to be built up by the mid-2030s, as reported by the news agency DPA, citing government circles. The proceeds are to be used to subsidise the pension scheme. A second major aim of the pension package is to secure the pension level in the long term.
In Germany millions of baby boomers born in the 1950s and 1960s are retiring, meaning that they are turning from contributors into pensioners.
As a result, the pension protection level is likely to fall in the coming years and the contribution rate is likely to rise. The task now is to "permanently secure" the pension level, which indicates the ratio of pension amount to salary, as according to Labour Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD).
READ ALSO: Six things to know about Germany's new pension reforms
German Defence Minister proposes military conscription
Defence Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) would reportedly like to speed up the compulsory military service in Germany. According to an internal document acquired by Spiegel Online, Pistorius instructed his department to "present options for a German military service model by April 1st that is scalable and can contribute to the resilience of the nation as a whole in the short term and be adapted to the threat".
The document shows that Pistorius intends to present his own proposal for a model of compulsory military service before the next general election.
"The Federal Minister intends to make a policy decision on conscription before the end of this legislative period," read the introduction to the document.
Pistorius is setting off on Tuesday morning to Scandinavia, a trip set to last several days. Among other things, he plans to visit Sweden to find out more about the conscription model there.
German leak is 'transparent' Russian bid to split West, says White House
The White House on Monday dismissed a leaked audio recording of senior German army officers discussing the Ukraine war as a "transparent attempt" by Russia to create divisions between Kyiv's western allies.
"This is a bald attempt and a transparent attempt by the Russians to try to sow discord and to try to show division, to try to make it look like the West
isn't unified," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.
In the leaked recording, the Bundeswehr officers can be heard discussing various details about the possible use of Taurus missiles, including specific quantities. At one point, they speculate as to whether the missiles could be used to hit a key bridge over the Kerch strait linking the Russian mainland to Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014.
The conversation also turns to long-range missiles supplied to Ukraine by France and Britain, with one of the officers referring to British soldiers on the ground.
READ ALSO: 'Very serious': What we know about leaked German army recording
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has promised a full investigation after a recording of confidential army talks on the Ukraine war was circulated on Russian social media. (Photo by Alexandra BEIER / AFP)
Acceptance of migrants in Germany decreasing: survey
According to a new survey, skepticism towards immigration and concerns about negative consequences have increased significantly in light of rising refugee numbers and difficult conditions such as the energy crisis and inflation.
According to a study published by the Bertelsmann Stiftung on Tuesday, an increasing number of people in Germany fear additional costs for the welfare state, problems in schools and housing shortages. It also revealed that the willingness to take in refugees has fallen considerably.
A full 78 percent of respondents expect immigration to result in additional costs for the welfare state, 74 percent fear a housing shortage in conurbations and 73 percent are concerned about conflicts between locals and immigrants. An additional 71 percent are concerned about problems in schools.
German ex-FA bosses on trial over World Cup tax evasion
Three German ex-top football officials went on trial on Monday in a €13.7 million tax evasion case linked to the 2006 World Cup.
Former German Football Association (DFB) presidents Wolfgang Niersbach and Theo Zwanziger, as well as former general secretary Horst Schmidt, are accused of submitting false tax returns in connection with the tournament.
Germany's successful hosting of the 2006 World Cup, often referred to as "Das Sommermärchen" or Summer Fairytale, subsequently became a nightmare for organisers after accusations emerged years later of financial wrongdoing.
In the latest case, being heard at the Frankfurt Regional Court this week, prosecutors allege the three men evaded paying €13.7 million in a variety of different taxes in 2006.
According to the indictment, a major part of the case revolves around the organising committee receiving around €6.7 million in 2005, which the DFB claimed in its annual accounts as operating expenses for a World Cup gala which never happened.
With reporting by AFP.
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Germany to launch new pension package
After months of planning, the German government is set to present its new pension package on Tuesday: They will be investing in the stock market to secure funding for the statutory pension insurance scheme for the first time. In the long term, this is meant to ease the burden on contributors and the overall federal budget.
As part of the plan, at least €200 billion in capital stock to be built up by the mid-2030s, as reported by the news agency DPA, citing government circles. The proceeds are to be used to subsidise the pension scheme. A second major aim of the pension package is to secure the pension level in the long term.
In Germany millions of baby boomers born in the 1950s and 1960s are retiring, meaning that they are turning from contributors into pensioners.
As a result, the pension protection level is likely to fall in the coming years and the contribution rate is likely to rise. The task now is to "permanently secure" the pension level, which indicates the ratio of pension amount to salary, as according to Labour Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD).
READ ALSO: Six things to know about Germany's new pension reforms
German Defence Minister proposes military conscription
Defence Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) would reportedly like to speed up the compulsory military service in Germany. According to an internal document acquired by Spiegel Online, Pistorius instructed his department to "present options for a German military service model by April 1st that is scalable and can contribute to the resilience of the nation as a whole in the short term and be adapted to the threat".
The document shows that Pistorius intends to present his own proposal for a model of compulsory military service before the next general election.
"The Federal Minister intends to make a policy decision on conscription before the end of this legislative period," read the introduction to the document.
Pistorius is setting off on Tuesday morning to Scandinavia, a trip set to last several days. Among other things, he plans to visit Sweden to find out more about the conscription model there.
German leak is 'transparent' Russian bid to split West, says White House
The White House on Monday dismissed a leaked audio recording of senior German army officers discussing the Ukraine war as a "transparent attempt" by Russia to create divisions between Kyiv's western allies.
"This is a bald attempt and a transparent attempt by the Russians to try to sow discord and to try to show division, to try to make it look like the West
isn't unified," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.
In the leaked recording, the Bundeswehr officers can be heard discussing various details about the possible use of Taurus missiles, including specific quantities. At one point, they speculate as to whether the missiles could be used to hit a key bridge over the Kerch strait linking the Russian mainland to Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014.
The conversation also turns to long-range missiles supplied to Ukraine by France and Britain, with one of the officers referring to British soldiers on the ground.
READ ALSO: 'Very serious': What we know about leaked German army recording
Acceptance of migrants in Germany decreasing: survey
According to a new survey, skepticism towards immigration and concerns about negative consequences have increased significantly in light of rising refugee numbers and difficult conditions such as the energy crisis and inflation.
According to a study published by the Bertelsmann Stiftung on Tuesday, an increasing number of people in Germany fear additional costs for the welfare state, problems in schools and housing shortages. It also revealed that the willingness to take in refugees has fallen considerably.
A full 78 percent of respondents expect immigration to result in additional costs for the welfare state, 74 percent fear a housing shortage in conurbations and 73 percent are concerned about conflicts between locals and immigrants. An additional 71 percent are concerned about problems in schools.
German ex-FA bosses on trial over World Cup tax evasion
Three German ex-top football officials went on trial on Monday in a €13.7 million tax evasion case linked to the 2006 World Cup.
Former German Football Association (DFB) presidents Wolfgang Niersbach and Theo Zwanziger, as well as former general secretary Horst Schmidt, are accused of submitting false tax returns in connection with the tournament.
Germany's successful hosting of the 2006 World Cup, often referred to as "Das Sommermärchen" or Summer Fairytale, subsequently became a nightmare for organisers after accusations emerged years later of financial wrongdoing.
In the latest case, being heard at the Frankfurt Regional Court this week, prosecutors allege the three men evaded paying €13.7 million in a variety of different taxes in 2006.
According to the indictment, a major part of the case revolves around the organising committee receiving around €6.7 million in 2005, which the DFB claimed in its annual accounts as operating expenses for a World Cup gala which never happened.
With reporting by AFP.
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