Achim von Michel, the policy officer of the BVMW Association of Small Businesses in Bavaria, comments on the changes made yesterday in the Bavarian cabinet regarding the repayment of emergency corona aid from 2020: “First of all, it is astonishing that with the possibility of an income-related ‘decree’ new rules for Corona emergency aid will be introduced again. In principle, it is of course to be welcomed that at least low-income earners should now be relieved, but firstly the new regulation ignores the facts, and secondly it creates new differences in the treatment of applicants in the individual federal states.
At an online event yesterday, at which around 80 entrepreneurs were informed about the topic, von Michel emphasized: “The fact has still not changed that this aid is referred to as ‘grants’ by leading politicians at federal and state level. were announced and a repayment was not planned. If you have filled out your application truthfully, you should not have to take part in an online verification process, which, by the way, is not permitted at all.”
Attorney Dr. Alexander Lang (law firm Steinbock & Partner), who also spoke at the event, added: “The reclaim remains unlawful. It is not a solution that you can pay illegal claims in installments or ask that they be exceptionally waived if your existence is threatened. We demand that refunds only be made if false information was provided in the application. All entrepreneurs who have provided correct information and who have been granted emergency aid must also be allowed to keep it.”
The BVMW Bavaria therefore announces that it will continue to fight for medium-sized companies to completely abolish the feedback procedure. “Entrepreneurs who have truthfully filled out their application should not use the online feedback procedure and should not initially make any repayments, but rather have a letter from a lawyer explain that they do not agree to the procedure,” says Achim von Michel.
