Federal Minister of Economics in Saxony |
Habeck and Kretschmer fight about energy prices
Dresden – Habeck Festival in Saxony.
Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (53, Greens) is out and about in the Free State today, meeting among others with one of his harshest critics – Saxony’s Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (47, CDU). The reason for the visit: “Current energy and economic policy issues,” according to the announcement.
In the background, however, it is probably also about the measures taken by the federal government gas price brakefor counter-financing of the countries, for structural change and also for the future of nuclear energy.
To get clarity, the Green came Habeck this morning at nine in the Dresden State Chancellery. In addition to Habeck and Kretschmer the two MPs, Wolfram Günther (48, Greens) and Martin Dulig (48, SPD) also took part.
Together they faced several Saxon craftsmen and entrepreneurs – and according to reports, they read Habeck the riot act. Among other things, they demanded “short-term electricity and gas price brakes” from the Federal Minister for Economic Affairs.
Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck on his way to the Saxon State Chancellery in Dresden, accompanied by Wolfram Günther (right)
“All participants made it clear to the minister the challenges that companies face in the current situation, some of which threaten their existence,” said Saxony’s employer president Jörg Brückner (63) after the meeting.
Above all, it is necessary to “activate all supply capacities for electricity”. That would also mean abandoning the planned exit from nuclear power in April 2023, according to Brückner. “Furthermore, the companies expect a medium to long-term strategy: How and from what do we still want to live in the future, which products can we still deliver to which customers and in which countries?”
The entrepreneurs received support from Saxony’s Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer, who contradicted Habeck in the joint press conference on the nuclear phase-out and questioned whether it was right to switch off.
“I think we have to discuss that,” Kretschmer said to Habeck.
Habeck is expected at Wacker-Chemie in Nünchritz from 3 p.m. in the afternoon.