Corona special fund: State wants to determine emergency situation
As a consequence of the budget ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court, Saxony-Anhalt wants to establish an emergency situation in order to be able to continue to hold on to its special coronavirus fund. "Basically, nothing will change for us," said Minister President Reiner Haseloff (CDU) on Tuesday after a meeting of the black-red-yellow coalition in Magdeburg. "This special fund will continue to exist."
Saxony-Anhalt's state parliament passed a supplementary budget including the special fund in December 2021. This is intended to cushion the consequences of the pandemic over several years. The package of 1.997 billion euros comprises around 60 measures. These include investments in hospitals and digitalization. The money should be available by 2027.
However, Haseloff said that the governing coalition was reacting to the ruling of the Federal Constitutional Court when calculating the funds. Necessary funds would now be taken out as a loan every year and no longer for the entire period. According to the Minister President, an emergency situation will be determined this year. By establishing an emergency situation, corresponding loans can then be taken out. "We will do the same in 2024," emphasized Haseloff. A review will then be carried out to determine which measures have already been completed or what the situation will be in 2025 and 2026.
On 15 November, the Federal Constitutional Court declared the reallocation of 60 billion euros in the 2021 federal budget null and void. The money had been approved as a coronavirus loan, but was subsequently to be used for climate protection and modernizing the economy. It is now no longer available. At the same time, the judges also ruled that the state may not reserve emergency loans for later years. Instead, an emergency situation must be declared anew each year.
The state of Saxony-Anhalt needs to establish an emergency situation to continue utilizing its coronavirus special fund, as per the ruling of the Federal Constitutional Court. This move will allow the coalition government to borrow necessary funds annually instead of in installments for the entire period.
The decision to declare an emergency situation also means that various parties in the state parliament will need to regularly reassess the fund's usage, ensuring that it aligns with the financial needs and changing circumstances of the household finances of Saxony-Anhalt.
Source: www.dpa.com
