As announced today by the BMDV, the Climate and Transformation Fund (KTF) is intended to help close the still open billions of holes in the rail infrastructure. That alone is dishonest compared to genuine funding from the federal budget. In addition, however, the KTF does not even cover all of the funding needs and raises more questions than it answers.
mofair Managing Director Matthias Stoffregen: “The figures make an impression at first glance: another 12.5 billion euros are made available from the KTF for rail. The truth, however, is that we are still a long way from the undisputedly required 45 billion euros by 2027. So how and where will the remaining funds come from? There is still a lack of 18 billion euros for rail!”
“Even more irritating is the statement by the BMDV that DB AG is also making its own contribution of 3 billion euros, which it is financing through a loan on the capital market, i.e. debt,” continues Stoffregen. “How can such an independent AG be burdened with such a burden of debt – as is repeated like a mantra in the course of the InfraGo project? Has every debt ceiling of DB Group, which could have accumulated debts of around 40 billion euros by the end of 2023 anyway, been abolished in the meantime?”[Tagesspiegel, Ausgabe vom 05.08.2023: „Mehr Kredite nötig – Bahn rast immer tiefer ins Schuldenloch“]
One thing is clear: the reduction of the enormous investment backlog in rail requires appropriate funds; Repairs as well as the expansion and new construction of urgently needed capacity costs – all the more so because the rail infrastructure has been spared damage over many years. But one thing is also clear: the project must be carried out with full transparency with a rail infrastructure company geared towards the common good, the future InfraGo.
On the other hand, the fact that the financing is now being divided between so many pots and shadow budgets does not promise any transparency and also suggests that the real financial requirements are still not in everyone’s minds – or at least not enforceable. The competitive railways, the entire rail sector and last but not least the passengers need planning security, which can only be given if the financing for the upcoming construction and repair projects is also secured. Using crutches such as additional debt for the DB Group does not bode well for the project. Honest and transparent financing via the regular federal budget would be more effective. The remaining financing gap of 18 billion euros must be closed.
DB AG must also ensure that the 3 billion euros in additional debt are not lost in the total debt of more than 36 billion euros, but are allocated clearly and transparently to the rail infrastructure. Additional equity increases, as envisaged by the BMDV, may also only be made available to the future infrastructure company oriented towards the common good and may not distort competition in favor of the DB EVU.
After all, the equity increases must not drive up the track prices, which are already the most expensive in Europe for long-distance traffic. The traffic turnaround towards more climate protection will only succeed if the rail system is also intermodally competitive.
Press release Mofair
2023-08-09 17:17:15
#LOK #Report #Mofair #KTF #questions #answers
