BONN (dpa-AFX) - Telekom CEO Tim Hottges is calling for faster approval procedures in order to make further progress with the expansion of the cell phone network. "We need new momentum when it comes to approvals for our radio masts, we are literally in a paper jam," said the CEO at his company's Annual General Meeting in Bonn on Wednesday.

According to him, there are always delays for reasons of monument protection. Hottges mentioned a former Roman camp in the Taunus and nature conservation aspects. "We regularly have "butterflies in the building", then we even relocate anthills, because the meadow blue lays its eggs in these anthills." Monument and nature conservation are important, but the future of Germany is at stake.

The approval of mobile phone masts must become easier, the manager warned, and appealed to the federal government to finally pass the Network Expansion Acceleration Act in the cabinet. Ironically, he said to the applause of the shareholders: "Smoking weed is allowed in Germany, but we don't build mobile phone networks here."/wdw/DP/mis