Saxony-Anhalt
“Better go to work”: Haseloff in criticism
Saxony-Anhalt’s Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff (CDU) received an unfriendly welcome during a visit to the flood area. photo
© Jan Woitas/dpa
Saxony-Anhalt’s Prime Minister was insulted by residents during his flood visit. However, one statement is now causing a stir. “That has to be allowed sometimes,” they say now.
After his visit to the flood area in Sangerhausen Saxony-Anhalt’s Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff (CDU) came under criticism. After he and Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (Greens) were repeatedly insulted by individual residents, Haseloff said to one person: “You’d better go to work.” This is proven by a video from “Spiegel”. Several media outlets have reported on this.
The left criticized Haseloff. The Prime Minister’s actions were disrespectful and “absolutely unworthy and ignorant,” wrote the Saxony-Anhalt parliamentary group leader Eva von Angern on Platform X.
Haseloff, Scholz and Lemke had previously received an unfriendly welcome from a few people. “Criminals”, “Your politics are based on lies” and “Go right back” were heard, among others.
Speaker: Statement was a reaction to insults
Haseloff’s spokesman defended the statement. This was also a reaction to the previous insults. The Prime Minister’s statement was to be understood as a “constructive request” to help combat the flood. “We stand by that too, it has to be allowed sometimes.” Critical comments are generally okay, “but it’s also about decency.”
Because the Helme River overflowed its banks at the end of the year, the district declared a disaster on December 30th. Scholz, Lemke and Haseloff got an idea of the situation on Thursday.
The Bundeswehr has begun its deployment in the flood area in the Mansfeld-Südharz district. Around 200 temporary and professional soldiers help fill and distribute sandbags in several places. The initial aim is to stabilize a section of dike in Oberröblingen, a district of Sangerhausen.