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How does partial eligibility work?
Only those who are not supposed to render service to society and who are truly mentally or physically incapable of doing so. Someone who has special IT skills but is in a wheelchair, for example, would be perfect as a cyber soldier.
There is discomfort due to the pay gap: professional soldiers get much more than militiamen, militiamen who go into action voluntarily receive three times more than what a militiaman receives in the mandatory Covid deployment.
With Corona we had a partial deployment of the militia for the first time and also a military service extended for two months for 1,300 basic military services. The payment system is from the 1950s and has not really adapted since then. That needs to be fixed. However, each militiaman who was called up received his civilian salary plus a bonus, I would like to put that on the record at this time.
Rumor has it you want to sell barracks.
We are investing 130 million euros in the barracks this year and about double that amount next year. What you are talking about is the situation in Vienna: it is a consolidation program that has been debated for many years. We are working on a common room concept.
How financially weak are the military? Sometimes it was said that there was even a lack of money for gas for trucks.
With 2,670 million euros for this year, we have the highest defense budget in history. Special investments are also required, such as the purchase of 18 helicopters.
By comparison, Austria still spends very little money on the military. Is the increase even sustainable?
I will keep fighting for the budget.
How are you like the first woman to lead the Austrian Armed Forces?
I received a very warm welcome and it is a pleasure to be a pioneer. Whether everyone has gotten used to it or not, I’ll leave it at that.
The army show on this national holiday in 2020 must take place very differently than usual because of Corona.
It will be great. We will bring the exhibition to the Austrians’ living room with more than three hours of reporting on ORF. Much will be digital, but the opening at Heldenplatz will take place. With Stefan Ruzowitzky we were able to win an Oscar-winning director representing the diversity of the Austrian Armed Forces. If you have seen what has been accomplished in recent months, you can make us feel proud and confident.
