The Bundestag Presidency is changing
Kubicki’s boat breaks down at sea – with politicians on board
September 13, 2023, 6:43 p.m
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The Bundestag Presidium takes a trip on the Baltic Sea on Wolfgang Kubicki’s boat “Liberty”. Then there is a problem with a water filter and the politicians have to change at sea. She won’t forget the experience anytime soon, says SPD politician Bärbel Bas.
During a boat trip for the Bundestag Presidium, a problem occurred on the ship belonging to Bundestag Vice President Wolfgang Kubicki on the Baltic Sea. The FDP politician invited his presidential colleagues on board his eleven-meter-long motorboat. “At some point a filter was closed, as they say,” said Bundestag President Bärbel Bas in Kiel. “And that means he could no longer maintain the speed that we actually needed to get to the next appointment on time.”
Algae and seaweed had clogged a water filter, said Kubicki. This caused the machine to become too hot. He asked the water police to take over the presidency of the Bundestag on their boat “Falshöft”. This accompanied the excursion.
“We switched from the ‘Liberty’ to the water police ship, as I said, on the open sea,” said SPD politician Bas. “I’ve never done that.” She won’t soon forget the experience. “It was quite special.” Captain Kubicki stayed. “He then brought his boat into the harbor at a slow speed.” No member of the Presidium became seasick. When asked how Kubicki was as captain, Bas said: “So very disciplined and he also stuck to the speed limit.”
The presidium had been visiting Kiel since Monday. The idea for the new format “Presidium on site” also came from the FDP politician, said Bas. Visits to the constituencies of the other five presidential colleagues are to follow; the next trip is planned for January to Vogtland. In the north, the MPs talked to soldiers from the sailing training ship “Gorch Fock”, with local politicians and, on Wednesday, with students from the Altenholz high school. “I got pretty grilled,” Bas said.