SPD leader lays out grave allegations - Does Wüst struggle with finances?
The Finance Minister, Marcus Optendrenk (CDU), informed reporters that he will make use of exemptions to the legal debt limit because of the fragile economy and dwindling tax income - for loans valued in billions. Apparently, the state legislature had no prior awareness of his plans before their holiday. Jochen Ott, bluntly stated, "This communication from the government is incredibly shoddy and completely disrespectful towards the parliament!" He even questioned if Optendrenk had violated the constitution: "That's not exactly how you cooperate in a democracy."
The SPD has appealed for a special meeting of the state assembly within the week. They aim to have Minister President Wüst deliver a government statement and reveal his motives behind taking on fresh debts worth 1.2 billion euros. Ott underscored, "In this stage of the game, it's not about photographs, but about managing the government."
The Wüst administration is only adding these new debts to maintain liquidity, not for any future investments. This has zilch to do with intergenerational fairness.
Finance Minister Optendrenk intends to utilize the 'conjunctural component' of the debt brake and introduce a supplementary budget for this fiscal year. This clause in the debt limit permits taking on new loans during economic downturns, but they must be repaid once the economy recovers. This decision resulted from the federal government's latest tax projection.
The head of the state parliament's approval is necessary to hold that special session. It's projected to take place on Thursday of the upcoming week. The FDP had already petitioned Wüst for an "immediate government statement" in the "RP".
