Table of contents
- Who is responsible for disasters such as floods or forest fires?
- What role does the federal government play in disaster control?
- Can the federal government provide financial support to affected areas?
- Is there federal aid for current flood areas?
- Can the debt brake be suspended in the event of disasters?
- What other demands are there?
Flood - Civil protection in brief - who is responsible and who pays?
Flooding is becoming a threat in parts of Germany; days of rain have caused a number of rivers to swell. In many places, dykes were reinforced or mobile dyke systems erected, and in some cases residents had to be evacuated. This is an enormous challenge for the emergency services - and the finances of the federal and state governments could face high costs. Initial calls for more disaster preparedness have already been made. Some politicians are using the floods as an opportunity to call for the debt brake enshrined in the German constitution to be suspended. In the following, we provide answers to questions about disaster prevention, for example when it comes to the distribution of responsibilities:
Who is responsible for disasters such as floods or forest fires?
Protection against disasters such as floods or forest fires is the responsibility of the federal states - as stipulated in the Basic Law. In principle, " disaster protection is a matter for the federal states," emphasized government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit on Wednesday. This has a lot to do with the conditions and knowledge on the ground. For local citizens, the municipalities or districts and independent cities are the point of contact. They are responsible as so-called lower disaster control authorities.
What role does the federal government play in civil protection?
According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, the federal government has "no direct responsibilities" in disaster control. However, according to a ministry spokesperson, it supports the federal states "by providing additional equipment". For example, the federal states can request police forces from other federal states or forces from federal institutions such as the Federal Agency for Technical Relief, the Federal Police and the Federal Armed Forces. If the accidents affect several federal states, the federal government also provides support in the form of information, advice, coordination and the provision of resources.
More powers for the federal government have already been called for - but the federal government sees no reason for this. It is currently evident "that civil protection is very well positioned in this situation", emphasized Hebestreit.
Can the federal government provide financial support to affected areas?
The federal government is free to provide financial aid. After the flood disaster in the Ahr valley, the federal government contributed up to 400 million euros to the emergency aid provided by the federal states. The federal government has even pledged up to 30 billion euros for the reconstruction of the affected regions. This will be used to rebuild the infrastructure and support private households, companies and public institutions.
Is there federal aid for current flood areas?
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) traveled to the flooded areas in Lower Saxony at the weekend. Although he promised support from the federal government, he did not make any concrete promises of financial aid. The federal CDU has already called for federal aid payments: Those affected should not be left to pay for the damage. In view of the recent dispute over the unconstitutional budget of the coalition government in Berlin, additional expenditure is currently very inconvenient for the federal government.
Can the debt brake be suspended in the event of disasters?
In the event of "natural disasters or extraordinary emergencies" that "significantly impair the state's financial situation", the Basic Law allows the debt brake to be suspended. The federal government is currently examining whether the flood aid still due after the Ahr Valley disaster in 2021 justifies a renewed suspension for the current year. On Wednesday, SPD budget politicians already called for the debt brake to be suspended in 2024 due to the current flooding and the expected follow-up costs.
However, the federal government does not yet see any reason to do so. The damage to date must first be assessed, emphasized government spokesperson Hebestreit. In general, however, the option of a renewed suspension exists.
What other demands are there?
The German Red Cross (DRK) is calling for a significant expansion of disaster preparedness. Its President Gerda Hasselfeldt criticized "glaring deficits" in the "Rheinische Post", particularly in terms of material equipment. The DRK President also called for a significant strengthening of volunteer services in Germany - including better pay. Calls for improved equipment in disaster control also came from the German Fire Brigade Association.
Read also:
- Rain expected again: The situation in the flood areas remains threatening
- Continuous rain until Thursday: Concerns about collapsing dykes are growing in the flood areas
- Flood situation remains tense - more rain forecast
- Flood situation remains tense - weir on the Elbe is opened
Source: www.stern.de
