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Robert Habeck in the Ministry of Economics: 20 laws and 28 regulations in nine months
Photo: Annette Riedl / dpa
In view of the continuing economic consequences of the Russian war of aggression, the government is also increasingly suffering from the associated pressure.
Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck, who himself has often been affected by the situation in recent weeks, has now impressively presented himself to the employees in his house.
"The people, at some point they have to sleep and eat," said the Green politician at a congress of the Federation of German Industries in Berlin.
“It's not shit I'm talking about now: people get sick.
They have burnout, they get tinnitus.
They can't anymore."
It's always the same people who make the laws because that's the way the house is built.
The tourism department cannot design the electricity market.
"It's like saying to the artist who made the sculptures that he could also be BDI President one day."
Habeck reported that 20 laws and 28 ordinances had been passed in his ministry in the past nine months.
"I'd have to count how many laws the Ministry of Commerce passed in the last legislature." He would guess fewer.
Of course one could say, "why didn't you make the prescription a week earlier.
But that's not because people crash, it's because there's a physical limit."
Tens of billions are missing because they are needed to buy energy
In addition, there are increasingly complicated processes, especially with regard to European law.
"I don't want any applause, but it's not just anyone who writes a law and says I'm done." After four weeks, they have now managed to find a legally secure way to save the instrument of the gas levy in order to exclude free riders.
Habeck criticized an "outgrowth" in EU state aid law, which he no longer understands.
Obvious decisions are often no longer possible.
You have "buried yourself" in lots of snares.
Meanwhile, the economic fallout from the energy crisis continues to be severe.
According to Habeck, the German economy will lose almost 60 billion euros in 2022 due to the purchase of energy from sources other than the previous ones.
In the coming year, there could be a loss of almost one hundred billion euros, mainly due to the lack of Russian energy.
According to Habeck, “calculated over the years” that would correspond to two percent of gross domestic product.
»Money that flows away because we have to buy more energy.
This money is missing everywhere, in the various sectors, in substance, in the German economy.
That is the macroeconomic situation,” said the economy minister.
"The crisis was triggered by the loss of large amounts of energy that were actually planned as safe." In addition to the supply of gas from Russia, this also includes nuclear power from France.
About two-thirds of France's nuclear reactors are down, Habeck said.
According to Habeck, in its last stress test for the power supply in Germany, Germany assumed that 50 gigawatts of power could be generated again by French nuclear power plants by Christmas.
The assumption was based on communication with the relevant authorities in the neighboring country.
However, a recent stress test in France resulted in a realistic scenario of only 45 gigawatts, possibly less, said Habeck.
The use of alternative energies is driving up prices.
In times like this, it is important to maintain German industry's ability to invest, said Habeck.
Investing in the future must not flag.
Habeck praised the BDI's approach of committing to Germany's climate goals despite the energy crisis.
BDI President Siegfried Russwurm had previously confirmed that German companies want to stick to the climate targets for 2030 and 2045 despite the energy crisis.
apr/dpa
