Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz wants to bring about a decision on the third relief package for the drastic price increases “very quickly”. However, the SPD politician did not give an exact time on Tuesday at the beginning of the federal government’s closed meeting at Schloss Meseberg in Brandenburg.
The deliberations will continue in the course of this week. The aim is to get a “relief package that is as tailor-made as possible, as efficient as possible, as targeted as possible” on the way. It should mean that no one is left alone with their problems.
Scholz was pleased with the progress made in efforts to compensate for the declining gas supplies from Russia. “As far as security of supply is concerned, we are now in a much better position (…) than was foreseeable a few months ago”. Among other things, natural gas storage facilities are filling up faster than expected. The fill level is approaching the 85 percent mark.
In addition to energy supply and security policy, the two-day closed meeting of the cabinet will also deal with vocational training and digitization. At the meeting in Meseberg, it should be ensured “that we as the federal government work together closely and closely,” said the Chancellor. “It will be a retreat where there is a good mood and the willingness to work closely together in a serious situation for the good of the country.”
In the past few days, the tone within the coalition had sharpened significantly. From the ranks of the SPD there was recently clear criticism of Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck (Greens) because of the problems with the controversial gas levy. In return, the Greens attacked Chancellor Scholz.
Before the exam, Habeck named criteria for entitlement to the gas surcharge. You have to “push the free riders off the footboard,” he said on “Deutschlandfunk”. According to the Green politician, there are a few things that can be done to prevent profitable companies from receiving the levy.
The gas surcharge is intended to compensate for the sharp rise in costs for major importers due to the shortage of Russian gas supplies, in order to protect them from bankruptcy and the energy system from collapsing. All gas customers should pay an additional 2.4 cents per kilowatt hour from October. It is criticized that companies that are doing well economically could also benefit.
