“It’s not something extraordinary, something that concerns us”

A letter asking the German business clubs in Timișoara and Sibiu for information related to the possibility of temporarily hosting around 100 to 200 people as part of a military exercise to evacuate people from a foreign country appeared in central presscreating panic.

Wolfgang Köber, the president of the Transilvania German Economic Club, confirmed the receipt of the document, but specified that it is a routine exercise, which is also carried out in other states, periodically.

“They were also looking for us, it was a structure, but I don’t even know if they were necessarily from the army, they were interested in possible places to stay in Sibiu as well. But it’s not something extraordinary, something that concerns us, it’s not happening now, but maybe at the end of next year.

I’m concerned about the fiscal instability, this tendency to change from combustion to electricity, which we agree is necessary, but with this “heirupism” with which it is done… this should be done in a more structured way, in a more Ardelan way. These are the problems,” said Köber for the Council Tower.

“We are interested in sports halls, large halls, business centers, buildings, empty warehouses, or halls”

In the letter, it is stated that the exercise would be carried out in Sibiu and Timișoara in March 2025 and the scenario foresees the evacuation of German citizens (role players) from another country.

“Dear club friends, the Bundeswehr (Rapid Forces Division from Stadtallendorf) is planning an exercise in the Sibiu and Timisoara area for March 2025, in which the evacuation of German citizens (role players) from another country will be practiced.

For this purpose, we are looking for one or more options in Timișoara and its surroundings to temporarily host around 100 to 200 people (role players in civilian clothes) for 2-3 days to be able to evacuate them during the exercise (only during the day, not at night).

We are interested in sports halls, large halls, business centers, buildings, empty warehouses, or halls with the possibility of bringing there 100-150 people. The halls would need a bathroom/toilet (not mandatory), parking space for use. Payment is secured.

Colleagues will be on site and will investigate the situation on 19.03 – 20.03 on site and could make visits if there is an opportunity in this regard in Timișoara or its surroundings”, states the message of the German Economic Club Timișoara”, presented by stiripesurse.ro.

The Rapid Forces Division in Stadtallendorf is made up of German and Dutch soldiers and is considered one of the elite units of the Bundeswehr, informs Antenna3.

This unit includes paratroopers, commando troops, mountain hunters, helicopters and attack and transport aircraft. The division collaborates in Romania with the 81st Brigade from Bistrița. The Rapid Forces Division is part of the European Union battle group and after an alert, it can deploy within five to ten days within a radius of 6,000 kilometers from Brussels.

He had numerous international assignments, including in Afghanistan. In addition to fighting the Taliban, it was the unit that in the summer of 2021 ensured the evacuation of German citizens from Kabul.

“What I can say is that Romania and Sibiu are safe”

Wolfgang Köber elaborated on this topic today at a press conference organized at FDGR.

“What I can say is that Romania and Sibiu are safe. We have small children and you realize that we too would have faced this problem, but once I can tell you that we are extremely well prepared, we as a country and not only us as a country but also our partners. We also talked with our partners who manage the NATO Center in Sibiu, it is extremely impressive what they have done there.

Regarding evacuation scenarios, they are always updated, everywhere, in any country in the world, so it is not something out of the ordinary, and I would not say that it is such an inherent action that it is considered something special. In other countries they don’t talk because they don’t have a conflict nearby, like we have, or a war. In other countries they are simply done, they are the order of the day, so does the army, obviously they are less publicly present.

Among us, more than 100 members, we are talking about the biggest employers in the area, there are no scenarios or panic theories, nothing like that, we are in a safe country”, stated the president of the German Economic Club Transylvania at the conference organized on the subject the international meeting of the Saxons, which will take place in Sibiu between August 2-4, 2024.

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