Finances - The Landtag decides on the supplementary budget
After a ruling by the Constitutional Court, the Landtag is set to secure the aid package for the consequences of the Ukraine war today with a supplementary budget. The parliament in Potsdam comes together for a special session (starting at 10.00 AM) in the summer break. In the afternoon, the decision on the supplementary budget is scheduled. The Brandenburg aid package of around 850 million Euros will no longer be financed through new debts - but from the state's reserves.
In June, the Constitutional Court of the state had declared the regulation on the Brandenburg package of 2022 unconstitutional and demanded further explanations for the connection between the declared state of emergency and the aid measures. With the supplementary budget, the calling of a new state of emergency - which Finance Minister Katrin Lange (SPD) considered risky - and a better explanation of the measures will be avoided.
The aid package is intended to alleviate the consequences of the Ukraine war and energy crisis and is intended to support families, municipalities, hospitals, and the economy. Payments from this fund are not in danger despite the court ruling. Finance Minister Lange defended the controversial use of the state reserves - a kind of savings account - as the cleanest and safest solution. The supplementary budget, with which the previous state budget is adjusted, also triggered a debate about the statutory debt brake.
- The Household budgets of many families in Brandenburg will directly benefit from the aid package, as it aims to alleviate the consequences of the Ukraine war and energy crisis.
- The State Parliament in Brandenburg, holding a special session due to the Ukraine situation, will vote on the supplementary budget today, ensuring the continuation of aid to Ukraine.
- Katrin Lange, the Finance Minister of Brandenburg, has highlighted the need for the supplementary budget, stating that it avoids the risk of calling a new state of emergency and provides a clearer explanation of the measures.
- Despite the Constitutional Court's ruling, the payments from the aid package for Ukraine remain unaffected, ensuring the country continues to receive essential support during this challenging time.
- In a recent statement, the Constitutional Court's President, Katrin Lange, expressed her agreement with the use of state reserves to finance the aid package, citing it as the cleanest and safest financial solution for Brandenburg.
