The German Association of Cities and Municipalities welcomed Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt’s (CSU) plans for expanding civil defense measures, though it criticized the proposals for being insufficiently comprehensive. André Berghegger, the managing director, told the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland” that while the announced investments in protective shelters are an important first step, they are “far from enough”. He stressed the need for permanent and substantial funding for civilian defense at all levels of government, explicitly including funds for ongoing operating expenses.
Berghegger added that the current Special Fund allocated for federal states and municipalities is already overburdened given the severe financial situation in many cities and the enormous investment requirements. He emphasized that local government authorities are already making massive investments in infrastructure-including roads, bridges, energy networks, digital connectivity, warning systems, and overall crisis infrastructure-which are essential not only for Germany’s and NATO’s defense capabilities but for daily life.
The association urged that municipalities should also benefit from the Special Fund. Berghegger demanded that the federal government must utilize the new financial openings created by the constitutional amendment, which exempts the defense portfolio from the debt brake. By doing so, the federal government must jointly fund “dual-use” infrastructure, such as roads and bridges, alongside the local authorities. He concluded that if the federal government expects local municipalities to take on greater responsibility for protecting the population, it must provide them with the guaranteed and necessary resources to do so.