Stuttgart (dpa / lsw) – In view of the explosion in energy prices, the green-black state government believes its own relief measures in Baden-Württemberg are conceivable. Finance Minister Danyal Bayaz wants to await talks with the federal government on the government’s third traffic light aid package in November. The Green politician told the state parliament on Wednesday that if the federal package had “blind spots”, for example in certain sectors or companies, it would be ready to make changes. “But on purpose, not with a watering can.”
He rejected the SPD’s request for quick relief. “I am convinced that it is not useful to go alone with the federal states.” In the crisis, the state needs resistance and must also take financial measures. “We will not overcome this energy crisis with a flash in the pan.” If you slam the money now, “it’s worth it”, then you will be left blank as the crisis progresses.
It is also important to wait for the results of the tax estimate at the end of October. The country has so far received 2.5 billion euros more than budgeted. But a recession is looming, which could also lead to a decline in tax revenues. “The question is not how much extra money we have, but we can manage the aid package,” Bayaz said.
SPD faction leader Andreas Stoch asked the coalition in the state parliament which crisis they still wanted to wait. “Many companies now have far more existential problems than they did during the entire pandemic.” Among other things, he asked for financial aid for the economy and guarantees for companies that have no longer received supply contracts. “Waiting for the federal government or October tax estimate doesn’t help. It will turn out better than expected again.” Stoch also referred to SPD-led Lower Saxony, which had put together its own package, including aid to school canteens. and food banks. “This is what a country must do in this crisis.”
The SPD faced opposition not only from the Greens and CDU, but also from the FDP and the AfD. FDP financial expert Stephen Brauer criticized the proposed package as a “Social Democrat I wish you what” that, if in doubt, should be financed with new debt and warned to “outgrow competition with the federal level.”
But the coalition has also gotten fat. Despite the crisis, they are pulling out their boots and want to carry out their favorite projects in the next double budget 2023/2024. Brauer asked the government to return inflationary gains, for example as a support to companies and municipalities. AfD faction leader Bernd Gögel accused the SPD of constantly wanting to solve problems with only new loans. “This is a rape of youth, of those who follow.”
On the other hand, Rainer Reichhold, president of state crafts, supported the SPD initiative. “The federal government doesn’t deliver, so the state has to step in. We’ve been saying this for a long time, “explained Reichhold.” The state government has at least the same responsibility for preserving the location, businesses and jobs as the federal government. “After months of soliciting a concrete offer of help for middle school businesses, craftsmanship feels understood by the SPD state. “However, it would be nice if Andreas Stoch shouted his arguments to his party friend, the chancellor, and at SPD-led traffic lights with similar vehemence.”
For the Green Group, Markus Rösler referred to many risks to the balance sheet, for example through collective bargaining in the public sector. It would be “irresponsible” to put together your own package without knowing what the financial burden of the federal package will be. “It pushes countries to the margins of the constitution,” Rösler warned. Like his CDU colleague Ulli Hockenberger, he promised the coalition would look into state aid if the federal package had “gaps and weaknesses.” Hockenberger said: “We will not disappoint the people of this country, not even this time.”
The parliamentary group CDU and Bayaz criticized the fact that the traffic light government had not previously informed the federal states about the planned relief measures. It is now even more important that the federal government and Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) are willing to compromise when it comes to cost-sharing, the finance minister said.
Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann (Verdi) had already stated that the quota provided by the federal government was not manageable for the state. At the beginning of September, the traffic light presented a third package of measures to compensate for the rapid increase in prices, the size of which the government estimates at around 65 billion euros. Last week’s federal state talks were postponed to November with no cost allocation result.
