Does the gas surcharge tip?
Lindner asks a "question of meaning" - but names conditions that Habeck should not like
Created: 09/26/2022, 12:54 p.m
By: Ines Baur
Finance Minister Christian Lindner and Economics Minister Robert Habeck - is it the last round in the duel about the gas surcharge?
© Michael Kappeler/dpa
Three days before the gas levy is to be decided in the cabinet, Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner questions the levy.
Berlin – Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) questions the planned gas levy.
"In the case of the gas levy, I am less concerned with the legal question, but more and more with the question of economic sense," said Lindner of the
picture on Sunday
.
In view of the economic situation, he does not consider the associated additional costs to be sensible.
Gas surcharge or gas price brake?
“We have a gas surcharge that increases the price.
But we need a gas price brake that lowers the price, ”said Lindner.
After all, it will still be some time before the federal government provides help for households, crafts, sports clubs or culture.
A gas price brake must "quickly help everyone in an economy".
According to the report, the finance minister wants to stick to the debt brake despite the foreseeable additional expenditure: “A gas price brake must be combined with long-term stable public finances.
The debt brake for the federal budget is in place," he emphasized.
As a further condition for a gas price brake, Lindner named a "combination with measures such as the extension of nuclear energy" "so that we have the best effect".
Tilts the gas surcharge - Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck also has concerns
According to the report, Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens) also reiterated his concerns.
According to information from the
BamS
, he sent a first draft law on the gas levy to all cabinet members on Wednesday.
In the accompanying letter, however, his ministry placed this directly “subject to the financial constitutional review” by the Ministry of Finance and referred to possible alternatives.
That would be either direct state aid to the gas suppliers in distress or taking over the additional costs of the gas importers from budget funds, and in fact "in the mid double-digit billion range".
With the gas surcharge, which is to be levied from October, importers who have to buy expensively elsewhere because of failed Russian deliveries should be able to pass on these additional costs.
After the nationalization of the natural gas supplier Uniper, SPD leader Lars Klingbeil also questioned the gas levy, since the state could ultimately benefit from the levy.
(ib/dpa)
