Irony of history: a good deal
Of course, the total amount of state corona costs far exceeds the 16 billion euros from the NRW rescue package. In many areas, money came from the federal government. A total of 23 billion euros flowed from the various aid packages from Berlin to NRW – mainly for the vaccines, but also for help to companies and the self-employed as well as to the municipalities.
Irony of history: The big money lending campaign has been good business for the finance ministers involved. The treasurer of the former black-yellow coalition, Lutz Lienenkämper (CDU), and his successor under Black-Green, Marcus Optendrenk (CDU), benefited from the low interest rate policy of the central banks. They still got money for taking out loans. Result: The creditors transferred 26 million euros by the end of 2022.
However, these golden days for finance ministers are now over. The yield curve is just taking off. In the future, Optendrenk will again have to pay money for the loans instead of getting anything out. And the loans themselves have to be repaid at some point anyway.
And the next loan package
In addition, the next loan package is already on the way – for the most recent crisis triggered by the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine. The black-green state government has already passed aid programs worth around 2.3 billion euros – for energy cost subsidies and investments in climate protection. By the end of the year, black-green in NRW had already approved a total of up to five billion euros in loans for this in advance.
But unlike during the pandemic, the extra debt is controversial this time: SPD and FDP are preparing a constitutional lawsuit.
