Status: 07.01.2022 3:41 p.m.
The supplementary budget presented by Finance Minister Lindner is criticized by the Federal Audit Office: The planned reallocation of special loans from the Corona crisis is “constitutionally doubtful”.
The Federal Audit Office considers the supplementary budget presented by Finance Minister Christian Lindner to be “constitutionally doubtful”. The connection between the 60 billion euro allocation to the energy and climate fund and the fight against the corona pandemic is “not conclusively explained”, according to a statement by the Court of Auditors for the budget committee published by the Bundestag.
Lindner wants to reallocate 60 billion euros that were approved as loans due to the Corona crisis in 2021, but were not taken out. They are to be transferred to the special fund so that they do not expire but can also be used in the years to come.
Court of Auditors: No crisis scenario as a justification
The Court of Auditors criticizes, among other things, that climate change is not an acute, sudden crisis, but a permanent challenge that has to be overcome with normal budget rules. The use of emergency loans can only be a last resort after all reserves have been exhausted. In addition, it is not conclusive that the Bundestag should subsequently change the budget of the previous year – if any necessary emergency loans could simply flow into the budget for 2022.
The reallocation is important to Lindner, among other things, because he has promised to comply with the debt brake again from 2023. This only allows small new loans. At the same time, however, the new federal government has made major investments in climate protection, among other things.
The supplementary budget is a necessary support for the economy, Lindner said in the Bundestag. “It’s about the way out of the crisis.” Due to the uncertainties of the pandemic, many investments in modernizing the economy have failed. “Not only do people need a booster, but economic development too”.
The CSU regional group chairman Alexander Dobrindt told the news agency dpa: “The statement relentlessly exposes the brazen attempt of the traffic light to cheat the debt brake. The new government wants to take on debts today that it does not need to finance expenses in the future. that she doesn’t know. ” That violates the principle of truth and clarity in budget policy, criticized the head of the CSU Bundestag member.