Visit our website: HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------------------------- [A glimpse into what sort of New Order Germany and its Brothers of the Bayonet intend to bring to Macedonia; basically the same type they've introduced into the NATO-created crime and prostitution-infested hellholes of Bosnia and Kosovo.] German Defense Minister Under Fire Gy GEIR MOULSON Associated Press Writer The Associated Press Friday, Aug. 31, 2001; 6:03 p.m. EDT BERLIN �� Opposition leaders demanded the resignation of Germany's defense minister Friday, enraged that he used government planes to shuttle between Berlin and a Spanish vacation just as German troops joined NATO's hazardous mission in Macedonia. Rudolf Scharping's office denied the defense minister misused taxpayers' money. In comments for the Saturday edition of the daily Bild, Scharping said he abided by his ministry's guidelines and added, "I'm fulfilling my work obligations 100 percent." Scharping has been under fire from the opposition for months over issues including belated compensation for Cold War-era radar technicians who suffered from cancer to complaints that Germany's military is ill-equipped for NATO peacekeeping missions. The German media also has been scathing. After a magazine last week showed Scharping frolicking in a pool on the Spanish island of Mallorca with his girlfriend, the influential weekly Der Spiegel ran a cover story Monday calling him an embarrassment to the center-left government, which faces national elections next year. On Friday, the conservative Christian Democrats' leader in parliament, Friedrich Merz, demanded that Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder "put an end to the colorful goings-on." His call was echoed by other Christian Democrat party leaders, including chairwoman Angela Merkel. Schroeder and Scharping are from the center-left Social Democrat party. The liberal Free Democrats' leader, Guido Westerwelle, told the daily Die Welt that "a defense minister without authority can't stay in office." In comments televised late Friday, Social Democratic Secretary-General Franz Muentefering defended Scharping's "good work" and his right to a vacation. He said there were no grounds for Scharping to step down. Scharping raised eyebrows last week when Germany's Bunte magazine printed the pictures from Mallorca just as the government scrambled to assemble a parliamentary majority for German participation in NATO's operation to disarm Albanian rebels in Macedonia. Following a newspaper report of Scharping's flights to and from Mallorca, the Defense Ministry said Friday he had used government planes to return for a special Cabinet meeting on Macedonia last week and for a parliament session this week to approve sending the contingent. "Commercial flights couldn't be obtained," the ministry said. "All these flights are oriented toward the valid guidelines on using government planes." � __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email alerts & NEW webcam video instant messaging with Yahoo! Messenger http://im.yahoo.com ------------------------------------------------- This Discussion List is the follow-up for the old stopnato @listbot.com that has been shut down ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9spWA Or send an email To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This email was sent to: [email protected] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
