Merz Fully Briefed on Drone Incident, Holds Back Public Commentary on Security Threat

Chancellor Friedrich Merz is reportedly staying informed about the drone incident at Leipzig Airport while on holiday, although he has not yet issued a public statement regarding the matter. Sebastian Hille, the deputy government spokesman, informed the dts news agency on Monday that the Chancellor is “naturally following this issue closely.” He added that Merz is in intensive contact, especially with the Federal Minister of the Interior and all other stakeholders relevant to these topics.

Hille emphasized that the so-called “National Security Council” discussed the drone incident last Friday, chaired by Merz, who is reportedly still not in Berlin. Despite this, Hille stated that the Chancellor “is always available for any necessary steps.” However, when asked when a public statement from the Chancellor could be expected, the spokesman declined to answer.

Separately, a spokeswoman for the Ministry of the Interior was also unable to provide concrete details regarding which “foreign powers” the Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) was referring to when he suggested they might be the culprits. She stated on Monday, in response to the dts news agency, that the matter is part of the ongoing investigations.