The German community has blocked Diehl Defense expansion that produces weapons for Ukraine
Troidorf City Council - a town of 80,000 people blocked Diehl Defense to expand production capacity. The municipality near Cologne calls doubt on the ability of the EU to produce more weapons at a decisive time, journalists write. The Mayor of Troidorf rarely plays a role in international politics, but in early December, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius called on the city head of the city in parliament.
"The pressure is great because in Europe and Germany there is a real obstacle to ammunition," Pistorius said. Diehl Defense produces ignition devices to explosives in rockets and ammunition. In particular, details are required for Iris-T anti-aircraft missiles. The object in Troidorf is an important link in the efforts of Europe to support Ukraine because more ammunition is needed. Due to the position of Diehl Defense, the city authorities sees the existence of a plant in Troidorf.
The manufacturer wanted to buy the land of the former Dynamit Nobel weapons to expand. But local authorities want to convert the site to construction and office, because the territory is close to the city center and it is the size of 50 football fields. Two -thirds of the deputies refused to give permission to expand the territory. One reason is that the production of explosives requires large protective areas around a factory that cannot be built.
"Questioning the object in Troidorf, the defense of the Federal Republic of Germany is undermined," said Thomas Bodenmuller, a member of the Diehl Defense Directors. The position of the city authorities was also criticized by the Chairman of the Defense Committee of the Lower House of Bundestag Marie-Agness Strak-Zimmermann. "It is about Ukraine, but it is also primarily about Germany's safety," Strak-Qimmermann explained.