May I ask about salary in the first interview?

Only if you are directly asked — then you must answer (and should be prepared). Raising the topic yourself signals that money is your primary motivator. The EU Pay Transparency Directive 2023/970, implemented in Germany via the Entgelttransparenzgesetz, increasingly obliges employers to proactively disclose salary information — so the topic will come up on its own sooner. In markets with skills shortages, the norm has shifted: Recruiters increasingly clarify the salary range in the initial interview. Recommendation: If you know your salary expectations are well above the likely budget, early clarification can protect both sides.