The president of the Federal Court of Auditors, Kay Scheller, has issued a sharp rebuke of the structures in the German armed forces’ procurement office. Speaking to “Welt am Sonntag”, he explained that those structures were originally intended to curb waste, yet over time they have created a system of organized irresponsibility. “Everyone keeps double‑checking again and again, and that can no longer be afforded” Scheller said.
He pointed out that the office involves too many actors. “The urgent mandate is to cut complexity” he added. “We must enable experts to make decisions and speed up the decision‑making process”.
Scheller urged that the needs of the forces on the future battlefield are changing fast. “We don’t have years to assess needs” he warned. Nonetheless, procurement must remain cost‑effective. “We need to reduce complexity, increase speed, and yet preserve control mechanisms. It is achievable, and there is still room for improvement”.