Icon: enlarge
Restaurant in Hamburg: frustration and despair
Photo: Chris Emil Janssen / imago images / Chris Emil Janssen
According to a newspaper report, the payments of the state bridging aid to the German economy will be delayed until January 2021. The reason is that the software tool for processing applications has not yet been completed, "Bild" reported on Saturday, citing a response from Federal government in response to a request from the FDP parliamentary group.
"The schedule currently agreed with the service provider stipulates that processing of the application can begin in December if possible and payments can be made in January," it says.
more on the subject
Icon: Video Christmas and Corona: Why the holidays are so dangerous A video by Andreas Evelt and Ties Kozok (animations)
Live data on the coronavirus: The most important figures at a glanceBy Marcel Pauly
Icon: Spiegel Plus mathematician on the possible course of the corona pandemic: "Every relaxation can lead to another wave" An interview by Veronika Hackenbroch
Tense Corona situation: Easings at Christmas are up for grabs
The parliamentary manager of the FDP parliamentary group, Marco Buschmann, criticized the late payment: "It is an oath of disclosure that not a single application for November aid could be processed regularly," he told the "Bild".
In addition, it remains completely unclear when the federal government can deliver the necessary software.
The hotel and restaurant association spoke of frustration and desperation in many companies.
Now the advance payments would have to be increased significantly, otherwise bankruptcies would be programmed, quoted the newspaper Dehoga chief executive Ingrid Hartges.
Companies affected by the partial shutdown in November are to get three quarters of their previous year's sales replaced.
That should cost the federal government around 15 billion euros.
However, applications were only possible from the end of November - and initially only a small down payment of up to 10,000 euros per company is paid.
Too late and too little has been the criticism for weeks.
Federal Minister of Economics Peter Altmaier (CDU) is therefore examining higher advance payments for December.
Icon: The mirror
mik / Reuters
