Household - Opposition critiques the lifeline grasp for aid package
Brandenburg's Finance Minister Katrin Lange assures citizens of full support from the Relief Package following the Ukraine war, even if the aid comes from the state's reserves instead of debt. No measures from the Brandenburg Package should be reversed, Lange stated during a special session of the Landtag on the supplementary budget. The red-black-green coalition aims to secure the relief package of around 850 million Euro following a Constitutional Court ruling and pay from the state's reserves.
The opposition criticizes the withdrawal, as the reserve will only amount to approximately 30 million Euros remaining. "They are really spending the last powder in this election campaign in 2024," said AfD-faction leader Hans-Christoph Berndt. He praised the fact that the aid will be paid from the budget instead of debt, following a declared state of emergency. The Left faction leader, Sebastian Walter, accused the government of jeopardizing the future by exhausting the reserve completely. The spokesperson for the BVB/Free Voters group, Péter Vida, stated: "The few coins you leave in the reserve - that's really irresponsible."
Minister defends anti-crisis policy
The Finance Minister spoke of the "cleanest and safest solution." She acknowledged that the general reserve has been used up to a large extent with the supplementary budget 2024. "That's the price for an anti-crisis policy that has proven effective and successful in many ways." With relief measures, families, hospitals, businesses, and municipalities should be relieved, while also reducing dependence on fossil and climate-damaging energies.
The Constitutional Court had declared the regulation for the relief package of 2022, following an AfD Landtag fraction lawsuit, unconstitutional. However, this did not concern the supplementary budget 2024. The court demanded more explanations regarding the connection between aid and new debts due to a declared state of emergency. With the supplementary budget, the need to declare a new state of emergency and provide clearer explanations for measures would be avoided. Another special session is expected to take place in the coming week for the final approval.
- Despite the Constitutional Court ruling declaring the 2022 relief package regulation unconstitutional due to an AfD Landtag faction lawsuit, Brandenburg's State Parliament is planning a new special session for the final approval of the supplementary budget.
- Katrin Lange, Brandenburg's Finance Minister, defends the anti-crisis policy, stating that the use of the state's general reserve to fund the supplementary budget is the "cleanest and safest solution."
- The 'Helper package' aimed at providing relief to families, hospitals, businesses, and municipalities during the Ukraine war, and no measures from the 'Brandenburg Package' should be reversed, according to Lange.
- The opposition parties, including AfD, Left, and BVB/Free Voters, criticize the government's expenditure of the state's reserves, with AfD-faction leader Hans-Christoph Berndt commenting that they are "spending the last powder in this election campaign in 2024."
- The finance minister praised the fact that the 'Relief Package' would be paid from the budget instead of debt, following a declared state of emergency due to the Ukraine war, as per the 'constitution (law)' of Germany.
- Potsdam, the capital city of Brandenburg, may be affected by the 'Relief Package' and the 'Household' budget, as the aid will support families and businesses within the state.
