Angela Merkel and Martin Schulz
The head of government of Germany Angela Merkel during her speech made it clear that it is seeking to achieve NATO’s goals to increase defense spending to 2 percent of GDP. This was stated by the leader of the Social democratic party of Germany (SPD), candidate for Chancellor Martin Schulz, reports the Contra Magazin.
The politician said that if Germany will comply with the requirements of the Alliance, by 2024, its defense budget would exceed the current indicators as of 30 billion euros.
According to Schulz, to re-equip Bundeswehr Germany will be enough to increase defence spending by three to five billion euros. “The German citizens have a choice: the difference in money can be sent, as we want for the development of education, infrastructure and digital technologies or how he wants the Christian democratic Union, the militarization, of which Germany had never seen”, — said the leader of the social Democrats.
24 September, Germany will hold elections to the Bundestag. September 3, held a televised debate, Merkel and Schultz. According to the Institute Infratest Dimap, conducted the survey for TV channel ARD, 55 percent of viewers said that the current Chancellor looked more convincing. 35 percent named the winner of the Schultz.
The US President Donald trump has repeatedly criticized NATO allies that 23 of the 28 States do not pay those amounts that they must contribute to the General budget of the Alliance, which is unfair to Americans.
According to the NATO Charter, the participating countries must be part of the overall defense budget of the organization for two percent of GDP, but currently about 70 percent of the funding at the expense of the United States. The German government has repeatedly stated that the medium-term financial plans of Germany not include raising defense spending to 2 percent of GDP.
Prior to that, trump expressed the opinion that Berlin is supposedly “owes huge sums to NATO and the United States,” and noted that it is necessary to pay a “powerful and very expensive defense that we provide in Germany.” According to British The Sunday Times, it was the amount of 300 billion pounds.