German soldiers forced to leave Nato exercise early due to overtime limits

'It can’t be that we can’t fulfil our Nato obligations because of overtime'

German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen speaks with soldiers of German contingent as she visits Camp Castor in Gao, Mali (Reuters)

German soldiers were forced to leave a four-week Nato military exercise in Norway after 12 days after using up all their overtime.

Currently, military personnel are allotted a 41-hour working week where overtime cannot be compensated by additional income but with corresponding free time.

Soldiers have complained to the German parliamentary watchdog that they are spending entire days doing nothing due to the country's working restrictions.

Hans-Peter Bertels, the German Parliamentary commissioner for the armed forces, has called on the country's government to increase military flexibility by changing weekly overtime limits to yearly limits.

Mr Bertels said soldiers told him training camps have been forced to close down at 4.30pm, according to Bild am Sontag.

He told the German newspaper : "It can’t be that we can’t fulfill our Nato obligations because of overtime."

The state of the German military had come under scrutiny afters it came to light soldiers were forced to train with broomsticks instead of rifles due to equipment shortages.

Last December, it was discovered less than half of Germany's fleet of 66 Tornado combat aircraft were deemed "airworthy".

The Independent has contacted the German Defence Ministry for comment.