Polish Transport Blunder Raises Question: What in the World Are American Howitzers Doing in Germany?
The German foreign minister proposes a phased plan for lifting EU sanctions against Russia, has told Sigmar Gabriel to businessmen from the Eastern Committee for the German economy. The Minister claims that, given the political situation in Eastern Europe, ties that have been created for decades shouldn't be severed.
This statement addresses not only entrepreneurs, but also politicians. It's unclear if Berlin will insist on the compliance of partners with its rules, But today the German police sent to the impoundment lot American howitzers because of non-compliance with German regulations.
Mikhail Antonov has the details.
"Who will stop us? We have guns!", might have thought the Polish transport company which the Americans had contracted to transfer six self-propelled guns from Poland to Germany. If the management did think so, they proved wrong. A few dozen kilometers after crossing the border, the convoy was stopped by the Saxony transport police.
Thomas Knaup, Saxony police representative: "Although these are self-propelled guns, law sees no differences from ordinary cargo. A permission must be obtained to get the right to transport the goods at a certain time, following a certain route".
There are neither waybills nor escorts here. If someone wonders whose tanks are in the center of Europe, why and where, they will have to take it at face value.
In this photo of the day a German policeman explains to the Americans the regulations for the transport of bulky and super heavy cargo. All of those regulations were violated.
- Excuse me, sir, may I ask you a question? It's for Russian television.
- No, sorry, no.
- Why not?
- We aren't ready to comment on it now.
American driver mechanics are taciturn. This, of course, is not their concern that some carcasses were hanging down from platforms to, probably, fall on someone's head. The overload was up to 16 t. It took two days to place the howitzers on more suitable tractors.
Placed on more suitable haul trucks, the howitzers are weighed again. Special touch-sensitive pavement is spread out to fix all the mass variations from the total tonnage to the load per each axis.
Closer to the night, when the autobahn becomes freer, the convoy will continue its way under the regulations: with documents, beacon lights and escort. Its ultimate goal is Hohenfels NATO training center in Bavaria. They are still to cover about 300 kilometers.
The Polish transport contractor will now pay a large fine, and the Americans obviously need to think about changes in the "strategy to counter the Russian threat": either fewer howitzers or more tractors.
Mikhail Antonov, Alexander Korystelev, and Andrey Putra for Vesti from Autobahn 4, Germany.