TIG Post

Tag: Angela Merkel

  • Merkel cites ‘hard evidence’ Russian hackers targeted her

    German Chancellor Angela Merkel voiced frustration Wednesday that Russia was targeting her in hacking action, saying she had concrete proof of the “outrageous” spying attempts.

    “I can honestly say that it pains me. Every day I try to build a better relationship with Russia and on the other hand there is such hard evidence that Russian forces are doing this,” she told parliament.

    Germany’s intelligence service has repeatedly called out attempts by Russian hackers to spy on lawmakers or leading politicians.

    German media reported that among information copied by hackers in 2015 was data from Merkel’s email account. That attack also targeted the Bundestag.

    Merkel said investigators into the 2015 hacking had identified a specific suspect.

    “Unfortunately the conclusion I have reached is that this is not new,” she said, noting that “cyber-disorientation, the distortion of facts” were all part of “Russia’s strategy”.

    “Obviously this doesn’t make it easier” to foster a better relationship with Moscow, she said, calling such spying tactics “more than uncomfortable”.

    Source: france24.com

  • Maltese envoy resigns after comparing Merkel to Hitler

    Malta’s ambassador to Finland has resigned after a Facebook post in which he compared German Chancellor Angela Merkel to Adolf Hitler, The Times of Malta reported.

    “75 years ago we stopped hitler. Who will stop Angela merkel? She has fulfilled hitlers dream! To control Europe,” envoy Michael Zammit Tabona wrote in the post which has since been deleted.

    The Maltese foreign ministry told him to remove the message and the diplomat, who served as ambassador to Finland since 2014, had resigned, the newspaper said Sunday.

    Foreign Affairs Minister Evarist Bartolo told the Times of Malta that an apology would be sent to the German embassy.

    Source: france24.com

  • Angela Merkel, defense minister to fly to US on two planes

    Two days after the German government announced a €54 billion ($61 billion) package of measures to tackle climate change, Chancellor Angela Merkel and Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer are to fly to the United States in two separate planes, the Bild am Sonntag newspaper reported on Sunday.

    Two Luftwaffe aircraft will transport the two politicians almost simultaneously to the east coast of the US, the paper said.

    Read: Angela Merkel to step down as German chancellor in 2021

    Merkel is due in New York at the United Nations climate summit on Monday where she is due to confirm that Germany is committed to phasing out coal and will help to save the rainforests abroad. On Tuesday, she will participate in the UN General Assembly’s general debate, attended by world leaders.

    Kramp-Karrenbauer, who has been tipped as Merkel’s possible successor, will meet her US counterpart Mark Esper in Washington then return to Germany on Monday.

    Large carbon footprint

    Bild criticized the decision to take two planes as flying is harmful to the environment. The paper reported that the pair were initially due to travel on one Airbus A340 that would first land in New York before continuing to the US capital.

    A Defense Ministry spokesman told Bild: “In the course of planning this trip, we have made every effort to optimize the use of the aircraft.”

    Bild reported that Kramp-Karrenbauer had booked a ticket to return to Germany on a passenger flight, but the Defense Ministry was informed by the Chancellory that the defense minister would have to organize other transportation to the US as well.

    Without providing additional details, the ministry said flight plans were decided based on the official’s schedule, destination, flight length and the size of the accompanying delegation.

    Both agreed to new climate protection package

    Read: Kofi Annan taught the world good politics Angela Merkel

    On Friday, Merkel and Kramp-Karrenbauer announced a slew of measures aimed at halving carbon emissions in Europe’s largest economy by 2030.

    As well as raising gas (petrol) and diesel prices, ministers committed to increasing public subsidies for electric cars and offering cheaper rail travel.

    A higher tax on short-haul flights will be levied and the installation of oil-fired heating systems in buildings will be banned.

    Germany, meanwhile, aims to close down all its coal-powered plants by 2038 at the latest. Their current production capacity of 42.5 gigawatts should be reduced to 17 gigawatts by 2030, the government has said.

     

    Source: dw.com