I have strictly complied with my ministry rules on official aircraft

Rudolf Scharping

The jet he used after visiting the troubled Balkan state had been intended for two other politicians, due to return from the region to Germany.

The minister is already in trouble for being on holiday just before the stormy vote in the German parliament to send troops to Macedonia.

The opposition is calling for Mr Scharping - who stands by his holiday arrangements - to resign on the grounds that he is not doing his job.

The minister flew on to Majorca, where he had interrupted a holiday, after visiting Macedonia on government business on Thursday.

His use of a military plane meant that Friedrich Merz, the parliamentary leader of the opposition Christian Democrats, was left stranded along with a colleague in nearby Kosovo, where they had been visiting German forces the same day.

According to the opposition and the defence ministry itself, the flight to the Spanish island cost about $80,000.

`Hot nights'

The defence ministry has pointed out that Mr Scharping was unaware he was using an aircraft intended for someone else, but the minister himself is unapologetic.

Mr Scharping feels as entitled to his holidays as the next German

He explained that he had planned a month's holiday, from 11 August to 1 September, and government business had interrupted it.

"I have strictly complied with my ministry rules on official aircraft," he told the Saturday edition of Bild newspaper, adding that he was "fulfilling his work obligations 100%".

But for the German opposition, Mr Scharping's actions are a drain on the armed forces' funds.

"While Bundeswehr fighter planes are being kept on the ground for lack of money and parts, Scharping is flying away the last penny for hot nights on Majorca," said Christian Democrat defence spokesman Paul Breuer.

"It's a first-class waste of taxpayers' money."

Mr Breuer's colleague Friedrich Merz for his part demanded that Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder "put an end to the colourful goings-on" of the minister.

No stranger to criticism

The Majorca affair comes after Mr Scharping earned criticism for allowing a magazine to publish intimate photos of himself and his fiancee relaxing holidaying in Majorca as his ministry prepared to send troops into Macedonia.

When parliament voted to approve the mission on Wednesday, 24 members of the governing coalition voted against, and Mr Scharping largely got the blame.

Before that, the minister was constantly under opposition attack, whether over delays in compensating cancer victims among Cold War-era radar technicians or allegations that he has failed to keep the armed forces up to scratch for Nato peacekeeping missions.

The leader of the liberal opposition Free Democrats, Guido Westerwelle, has commented that "a defence minister without authority can't stay in office".

But the government has stood by Mr Scharping, who is one of the Social Democrats' leading lights.

The minister, who has ruled out resigning, may feel vindicated by the close attachment Germans have to their right to six weeks' annual leave.