German imports from Russia fell 95% since war in Ukraine – DW – 06/11/2025
Skip next section German general Ingo Gerhartz becomes new commander of NATO's Joint Force Command
06/11/2025
June 11, 2025 German general Ingo Gerhartz becomes new commander of NATO's Joint Force Command
From today, German Air Force General Ingo Gerhartz will oversee the operational protection of NATO's eastern flank. The 59-year-old will assume command of the relevant NATO headquarters, the "Allied Joint Force Command," in Brunssum, the Netherlands, from Italian General Guglielmo Luigi Miglietta at noon.
Following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, deterring and defending the eastern part of the alliance area has once again become a core task for NATO states.
Recently, warnings that Russia could test NATO's commitment to mutual defense have become more forceful.
One of the three operational NATO headquarters is located in Brunssum. The other two are in Naples and Norfolk, Virginia, and are led by Americans. Gerhartz was promoted to four-star general before assuming his new position.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Local Germany
2 hours ago
- Local Germany
Could foreign medical students in Germany be charged tuition fees?
For those who qualify for a place at a medical university in Germany, the country's public university system offers free tuition at world-class medical schools to German citizens and international students alike. But a high-ranking member of the German coalition government's DCU party has suggested re-thinking that as the country grapples with an acute and well-documented shortage of doctors and other medical professionals. In a recent interview with Bild newspaper, Sepp Müller, deputy chairman of the Christian Democrat (CDU) parliamentary group, said: 'Anyone who studies here should practice in rural areas for at least five years. Those who do not want to do so should repay the costs of this first-class education.' The comments follow revelations that doctors' surgeries in rural areas are closing due to a shortage of general practitioners. The Federal Ministry of Health recently confirmed that positions for more than 5,000 general practitioners (GP) were vacant in Germany at the end of 2023. READ ALSO: How German ministers want to boost skilled migration and integration Now it seems that the CDU's response to the problem is to make international medical students pay for their university tuition if they leave Germany within five years of graduating. Advertisement Would the plan work? The CDU has yet to offer a concrete plan on how international medical students who leave Germany within five years of graduating would be charged. Florian Müller, research policy spokesman for the CDU, told Bild that the federal states should regulate the reimbursement of study costs on their own. To give a sense of the costs that would be incurred, Germany's private universities currently charge between €63,000 and €125,000 in total for a medical degree. It is also unclear whether the CDU's plan would have any effect on easing the shortage of doctors in Germany. The proportion of foreign students studying medicine was approximately 8 percent of the total number of medical students in Germany in 2018, according to the report ' Wissenschaft weltoffen 2019 '. The figure is thought to have risen slightly in the years since. Advertisement READ ALSO: The state of healthcare in Germany has become worryingly frail
Local Germany
4 hours ago
- Local Germany
How you can challenge Germany's controversial property tax on your home
Following a major reform to Germany's property tax rules as of the beginning of this year, millions of land- and homeowners are challenging the amount of property tax they owe. Why were the property tax rules changed? Germany's old rules around property tax ( Grundsteuer ) had been ruled unconstitutional in 2018. The Federal Ministry of Finance explains on its website that is was because the old tax code treated similar properties differently (depending on the region) and therefore violated the principle of equal treatment, which is protected by Basic Law. The primary change to the rules that impacts homeowners is that the valuation of properties has been updated. Until the end of 2024 property valuations were based on decades old standard values – these were established in 1964 for properties in former West German states and as far back as 1935 in former East German states. Property valuations have now been reassessed, as of January 1st, 2022. Additionally, a law was added that allows cities to increase the assessment rate on undeveloped plots of land. This was intended to disincentivise speculation on land that might otherwise be developed. In simple terms, the rule reform has seen properties revalued, and for many homeowners in Germany it brought a significant increase in the property tax they owe going forward. REVEALED: Where buyers can find the most property for sale in Germany Widespread objections across Germany But many homeowners do not agree with the property tax increases, and some argue that the new assessments are unfair. Since new valuation assessments were sent out, millions of property owners have appealed. According to a report by Focus Online, 1.4 million objections were received by the tax offices in Baden-Württemberg – meaning that nearly 30 percent of homeowners in the southwestern state feel their assessment was incorrect or unjustified. Advertisement The situation is similar in other German states as well. SWR reported 1.5 million objections in North Rhine-Westphalia, 1.3 million in Bavaria and 440,000 in Rhineland-Palatinate. How you can contest the property tax Generally, to challenge your property tax obligations in Germany you need to contest the property tax assessment, which is sent in the mail by your local tax office. This needs to be done, in writing or with a visit to the tax office, and usually within one month from receipt of the assessment. After you've filed the objection, you have two months to submit a detailed justification, including any evidence you have to support your claim. If the objection is rejected, you can then file a lawsuit with the Fiscal Court within one month of receiving the rejection notice. Regarding the new property tax rules, the homeowners' association Haus & Grund has taken up the issue and is bringing a number of legal challenges against the new property tax. READ ALSO: What Germany's tax authorities need to know if you rent out your home In a post on the association's website it lists several reference numbers for ongoing cases, and suggests that owners can refer to the ongoing lawsuits and file their own objections. The cases, which were filed with courts in Berlin-Brandenburg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Cologne and Düsseldorf, argue that the new property tax rules violate the principle of equality of the Basic Law. Advertisement The cases will force German courts to clarify whether the new property tax rules are compatible with the law. They are expected to go all the way to the Federal Constitutional Court. It will likely be several years before the cases are decided, but if you want to seek compensation for paying excessive property tax from now on, you should file an objection now. If you do intend to bring a lawsuit forward, you'd be advised to seek legal counsel from a homeowners' association like Haus & Grund or similar or a lawyer. Note that this article is written for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as legal advice.
DW
7 hours ago
- DW
Germany updates: Economy expected to see growth boom in 2026 – DW – 06/12/2025
06/12/2025 June 12, 2025 Ifo doubles growth forecast for Germany in 2026 The Munich-based Ifo Institute has raised its economic growth forecast for Germany for 2026. Gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow by 1.5%, which would be almost twice as high as the originally forecast 0.8%. The institute said new government measures and a spending surge should boost the country's sluggish economy. The economic institute also adjusted its growth forecast for 2025, raising it to 0.3% from the previous outlook of 0.2%. "The crisis in the German economy reached its low point in the winter half-year," said Timo Wollmershaeuser, the Ifo's head of forecasts. "One reason for the growth spurt is the fiscal measures announced by the new German government," he added. Germany's cabinet last week approved a €46 billion ($52.94 billion) tax relief package to support companies and boost the economy from 2025 through 2029. That came after Germany's parliament, the Bundestag, approved a massive spending surge in March when it made a historic decision to amend a national fiscal rule known as the "debt brake." Defense spending above 1% of GDP will no longer be subject to any borrowing limits. In its forecast, the Ifo Institute estimated those measures to boost the economy by €10 billion in 2025 and €57 billion in 2026. Wollmershaeuser also warned, however, that the improved forecast was largely based on assumptions that the trade war between the European Union and US President Donald Trump would be resolved. "The increasing optimism is probably also fueled by the hope that the new coalition will end the economic policy stalemate and that an agreement will be reached in the trade dispute with the US," he said. The institute also predicted an uptick of one percentage point this year. Wollmershaeuser pointed out that "the crisis in the German economy has been over for some time, but the recovery is still very weak." "The economy is still struggling with the effects of the pandemic and the high inflation rate."
