As of: February 6, 2024, 5:26 p.m
By: Peter Sieben
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It's not every day that Economics Minister Robert Habeck is on the phone.
Entrepreneur Alexander Zimmer took advantage of the opportunity – and now has a clear message.
Berlin – When the phone rings, there is rarely someone from the federal government on the other end of the line.
That's what Alexander Zimmer thought when he picked up the phone on a recent Wednesday evening - and then heard the sentence: "Good evening, this is Robert Habeck."
Robert Habeck calls entrepreneurs: “Simply unbelievable”
What followed was a long conversation with the Federal Minister of Economics (Greens) – a good, constructive one, as Zimmer says: “Simply unbelievable.” Alexander Zimmer is an entrepreneur in Monheim in North Rhine-Westphalia.
The town between Cologne and Düsseldorf has often made headlines.
The then youngest mayor of North Rhine-Westphalia, Daniel Zimmermann, made Monheim, which was traditionally heavily indebted, debt-free within a very short time with a trade tax idea.
Because Monheim is now so rich, you can take the bus at community expense.
There is also a city-owned geyser.
And now the thing with Robert Habeck.
Zimmer works in the event sector and is managing director of Marienburg: the pretty historic country house can be booked as a conference venue or wedding location, among other things.
Ultimately, the entrepreneur was dissatisfied.
And he wasn't alone in that.
The gas crisis, high energy prices, long approval processes – all of this is causing problems for many entrepreneurs.
Economics Minister Robert Habeck: “He was very fact-oriented”
So Alexander Zimmer wrote an email to the Federal Ministry of Economics.
“I was just very frustrated and wanted to express that,” Zimmer says.
“I complained that entrepreneurs who just want to do things are being thwarted.” In his case, among other things, it was about the issue of promoting renewable energies and applications that didn’t make any progress.
And then the minister himself called.
“He was very fact-oriented and listened to everything,” says Zimmer.
“I experienced a person who treated and spoke to me very sincerely and honestly.
And who is really interested in why things don’t work,” says Zimmer, who emphasizes that he is by no means a Green Party member himself.
Habeck calls entrepreneur: “What annoys me is the politician bashing”
But the phone call gave him hope.
After all, Robert Habeck, who currently has to fill a budget hole worth billions, has enough to do.
He was impressed that he still took the time for such conversations.
“We are currently living in a society in which dangerous extremes are manifesting themselves.” This is also because politics is often no longer comprehensible for many people.
“But what annoys me the most is the bashing of politicians.
That doesn't lead to anything.
And which of the good people should put themselves at the front when they have to experience this day after day.”
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Robert Habeck announced that he wanted to keep in touch and take care of his concerns.
And Alexander Zimmermann has a message: “I want to make it clear: good things also happen.”