Interior ministers and senate representatives from various federal states are calling for the federal government, specifically Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU), to increase its engagement and provide greater financial support to the states regarding civil defense and population protection.
Speaking to the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland” Thuringia’s Interior Minister, Georg Maier, stated that the focus must broaden beyond just migration issues. He remarked, “It is not enough with support for the BBK [Federal Agency for Crises Prevention, Warning, and Rescue] and the THW [Federal Emergency Warning Corps]. We require a portion of the funding dedicated to aid organizations and the states so that they can properly execute their duties. The concept must be holistic”.
Similarly, North Rhine-Westphalia’s Interior Minister, Daniela Behrens, emphasized that the states have repeatedly urged the federal government over the past years to develop a joint civil protection strategy that addresses current threats. She stated that “significantly too little has been done so far”. While acknowledging the efforts of the states in disaster management, she declared that the federal government has a clear duty concerning civil protection.
Adding to these points, the spokesperson for Bremen Interior Senator Eva Högl stressed the expectation that the federal government will convene the states at the negotiating table. She suggested that the upcoming Interior Ministers Conference, slated for June 17 to 19 in Hamburg, would be the perfect venue for these critical discussions.
This pressure comes as Dobrindt has announced an upcoming concept aimed at strengthening population protection, which he plans to present on Wednesday.