From the point of view of Brandenburg’s head of government Dietmar Woidke (both SPD), the conference of prime ministers with Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz has brought significant progress in terms of relief because of the high energy prices. “The overall package will have a strong effect and relieve many,” Woidke told the German Press Agency on Wednesday evening. Social aspects are also taken into account. “It is also important to me that those who earn a lot in the crisis share in the costs.”
According to the State Chancellery, the down payment for gas in December for households and small and medium-sized enterprises is to be fully borne by the state. Basic gas consumption for these customers should be capped as retrospectively as possible from February 1st. An electricity price brake is to limit the price for private households to 40 cents per kilowatt hour as early as January 1st. Further relief should apply to industrial companies. According to the State Chancellery, a further 12 billion euros are available for hardship regulations, 8 billion of which are for securing clinics and care facilities. This will be financed from the Federal Economic Stabilization Fund with 200 billion euros, the State Chancellery explained. “Part of the considerable public costs are to be financed by skimming off the so-called chance profits, for example from electricity producers.” The Brandenburg state government wants to finance further relief with its own rescue package of two billion euros.
With regard to the resolutions to promote local public transport, Brandenburg’s Infrastructure Minister Guido Beermann (CDU) said that the discussion must be continued as to how public transport can be made financially “winterproof” in view of the increased energy prices. “Because the funds decided today are not sufficient to cushion the expansion of public transport, especially in view of the exploding energy costs. This is particularly felt by people in rural areas, who the federal government has not focused on with its climate ticket,” said the Minister.
