Minister Bausch first addressed the video of a dog from a private security guard biting a man in the Gare district, which circulated on social media over the weekend. He expressed his belief that the incident showed that public spaces should only be monitored by officially recognised authorities, such as the police.
However, he also underlined that he will not draw any conclusions about the incident before the results of the enquiry are published, and pleaded that others should do the same instead of politicising it.
The next point of discussion was Afghanistan and last week's meeting of European defence ministers. Minister Bausch explained that it is now the time to start creating combined forces and investing into common equipment.
A European army is not on the table, though the events in Afghanistan have shown that the EU cannot rely on the United States any longer, Minister Bausch concluded. A joint battalion, made up of members from all across the EU, is the most likely path forward.
Luxembourg and Belgium are likely to launch a joint battalion, which Minister Bausch believes to be operational by 2027 or 2028. However, options are still being considered, but the politician expressed his optimism that the project could set an example for European military cooperation.
When asked about refugees from Afghanistan, Minister Bausch expressed his support for the strong position taken by Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Jean Asselborn, who recently lamented the lack of support from some EU members: "It is dramatic how little solidarity the EU shows, and we must be ashamed that countries like Canada immediately offered to take in refugees."
Finally, Minister Bausch was asked about the ongoing Covid-19 situation here in the Grand Duchy. He noted his support for the next set of respective laws, but also talked about the low vaccination rate, which he considers worrying.
