Saar Economics Minister confident about investments

Created: 08/12/2022, 16:37

Jürgen Barke, Saarland Minister for Economic Affairs, Innovation, Digital Affairs and Energy.

© Harald Tittel/dpa/archive image

Economics Minister Jürgen Barke (SPD) is confident about the possible creation of new jobs in Saarland.

"There is good demand from potential investors who are interested," said Barke on Thursday at the debate on the state budget for 2023. "We are in a very intensive process there," he said, referring to the search for investments in Saarlouis.

Saarbrücken – The car manufacturer Ford only wants to maintain this location with 4,600 employees until mid-2025.

"We are now in a very intensive investor process," said Barke.

Significantly more than 15 companies are "involved in this process": "There is good demand for this location." Three possible lines emerged: There are manufacturers who want to build electric vehicles.

"I can't say at the moment whether that will be successful." Other possibilities could open up through the topic of recycling: "There is also a lot of demand for the location there".

There is also interest “in the energy industry environment”.

Barke said that the new transformation fund with a volume of three billion euros is crucial for the transformation to succeed and for being able to support it with the right instruments.

"If we didn't have the transformation fund now, we would run the risk of sinning against future generations," he said.

It would then no longer be possible to secure jobs.

Barke calculated that if 20,000 jobs were lost, Saarland would suffer a loss in gross domestic product of 1.4 billion euros.

That is why it is important to secure jobs.

“Look with me optimistically into the future.

We have good reason to do so.” dpa