Woidke is aiming for energy aid: the opposition calls for action

Created: 09/14/2022Updated: 09/14/2022 13:23

Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke (SPD) takes part in the debate in the state parliament.

© Jens Kalaene/dpa

Many Brandenburgers are waiting for help in view of skyrocketing energy prices.

Brandenburg's Prime Minister Woidke is aiming for an aid package and names his goals in the state parliament.

The opposition is strongly opposed to the Kenya coalition.

Potsdam - Brandenburg's Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke (SPD) has promised companies and citizens basic support in the energy crisis.

"The goal must be to get every single household, every company in our country safely through this severe crisis," said Woidke on Wednesday in a current hour in the state parliament in Potsdam.

"It is perfectly clear to me (...) that many also feel downright powerless because the world seems to be getting out of joint." People quite rightly expected quick, pragmatic and effective decisions.

He initially did not name any concrete plans and called for further help from the federal government.

The state parliament opposition accused the government of doing too little.

After an energy summit on Monday, the head of government asked the federal government to declare an emergency in Germany so that Brandenburg could provide its own aid package for the economy, among other things.

In his estimation, such a rescue package must have a volume in the hundreds of millions.

Woidke welcomed the federal government's latest relief package, but said: "People with low incomes, but also the economy - especially small and medium-sized companies - need more help." The co-financing of the relief package will cost Brandenburg almost a billion euros for the years 2022 to 2024 .

For the PCK refinery in Schwedt/Oder, Woidke renewed his demands for an employment guarantee and a viable solution to cushion the consequences of the embargo on Russian oil planned for next year.

"The refinery (...) is the heart and backbone of an entire region." It was a mistake to take the three remaining nuclear power plants off the grid at the end of the year.

He confirmed the goal of restarting two blocks of the lignite-fired power plant in Jänschwalde by October 1st in order to have more energy security.

"That doesn't change anything, absolutely nothing about our climate goals."

The opposition in the state parliament accused the red-black-green state government of having done too little.

"While you wait, maneuver, refer to the federal government, people can no longer sleep because they are afraid for their existence," said left-wing faction leader Sebastian Walter.

The AfD parliamentary group leader Hans-Christoph Berndt demanded: "We have to deliver, we have to move away from announcements towards concrete measures." Germany must not "implement a suicidal oil embargo" and should follow the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia, which was stopped by the federal government open Germany.

The parliamentary group leader of BVB/Freie Wahler, Péter Vida, criticized that the planned restart of two lignite-fired power plant blocks in Jänschwalde was too late.

The Brandenburg Chamber of Crafts urges quick support.

"The situation is already dramatic in many member companies, and winter hasn't even started yet," said President Robert Wüst.

SPD parliamentary group leader Daniel Keller reiterated his call for a rescue package for the municipalities through new loans if the Bundestag declares an emergency.

"We will not leave our communities alone, so we want to put up a rescue package," said Keller.

He emphasized: "We must stand together to protect social peace in our country."

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The CDU parliamentary group leader Jan Redmann had already opposed this proposal because he did not see the conditions for an emergency.

Redmann called it a mistake on Wednesday to "reactivate coal-fired power plants so hesitantly" and rule out extending the life of the three remaining nuclear power plants.

With regard to climate change, Green Party leader Benjamin Raschke pointed out that there are several crises and said: "The solution is climate protection." dpa