Of all people, the highest general of the armed forces does not participate in the celebration of national holidays. Chief of the General Staff Rudolf Striedinger is officially ill, but it is striking that he caused a stir with an interview the day before the national holiday.
Striedinger’s cancellation came on such short notice that even his deputy, Lieutenant General Bruno Günter Hofbauer, failed to replace him at the important ceremony at Heldenplatz. Hofbauer said this himself during the live broadcast on ORF, where he acts as an expert in the studio.
Short-term replacement of the Chief of the General Staff at Heldenplatz
The chief of the general staff usually plays an important role in the celebration of October 26 on Heroes’ Square. He accompanies both the Federal President and the government headquarters during the wreath laying ceremony and is in the foreground all day long. Lt. Gen. Erich Csitkovits, commander of the National Defense Academy, acted as a substitute.
What is striking about Striedinger’s rejection is that just one day before the festivities, he gave a remarkable interview in the “Kurier” in which he spoke out in favor of expanding the basic military service and thus contradicted Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner (ÖVP). In the next legislative period, the supply of sufficient personnel for the militia must be arranged in such a way “that we have reliable and well-trained militia soldiers in the future,” says Striedinger. He advocates a return to military service for eight months, while community service is also extended.
Politicians are against the extension demanded by experts
By returning to eight months of basic military service one would ‘gain a lot’. Community service organizations would also like to see the automatically linked expansion of services, according to Striedinger. Many experts in the armed forces hold this view, but politicians have so far blocked it, especially Secretary Tanner.
It is surprising that Striedinger makes such a demand before the national holiday and close to the start of government negotiations. But it is not the first time that the Lower Austrian, who is close to the ÖVP, has caused a stir with politically explosive statements. In June 2020 – before Russia’s attack on Ukraine – he caused a stir after declaring military national defense obsolete and announcing that it would be kept to a minimum. The armed forces should focus on cyber defense and disaster management. After heavy criticism of these plans, Minister Tanner had to reconsider and once again declare military national defense a core task of the federal army.
In February 2021, Striedinger made headlines as Tanner’s chief of staff with a “swallow” order. In it he banned all soldiers from ‘unsolicited public expressions of their opinions’. This was argued with inappropriate appearances by members of the armed forces on the internet. In the end it didn’t work out.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
