Dhe East German states are at odds with parts of the reform plans of the red-green-yellow federal government across all parties. This applies to the clinic reform by Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD), but also to the advances by Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) and Building Minister Klara Geywitz (SPD) to convert private heating systems to renewable energies. The new federal states also feel left out when it comes to infrastructure expansion in the department of Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP). That became clear at a meeting of the East German prime ministers on Friday in Berlin.
The heads of government of Saxony and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Michael Kretschmer (CDU) and Manuela Schwesig (SPD), made it clear that they would reject the EU Parliament’s proposal for a “regulatory obligation to renovate” private houses. They asked the federal government to stop the project. On the one hand they see themselves as supported by Geywitz, on the other hand they criticized their and Habeck’s draft of the Building Energy Act. It stipulates that from 2024 onwards, only heating systems that use 65 percent renewable energies may be installed. East Germany has the “clear position” on these traffic light plans that there should only be conditions for the heat transition that are technically and technically available, financially viable and socially cushioned.
Schwesig proposed a “pact” to Berlin that would also have to include industry and crafts, in order to determine which forms of heating and installation capacities were available at what cost and how much of this the state would bear. “Citizens are now experiencing many discussions about bans and coercive measures without being told in concrete terms: What is the technical solution of the future, how much does it cost and how will they be supported?”
In the current traffic light decisions, the “east view” is often missing, she complained. Among the 144 accelerated motorway projects, not a single one can be found in the east: “That’s a mistake.” Not only closing gaps, but also new buildings are necessary. Specifically, the A 20 from east to west must be completed more quickly. The rail plans lack a better connection between the new federal states and their Eastern European neighbors.
Clear contradiction
Dissent was also evident with Lauterbach, who attended the meeting. All sides expressed their willingness to reach an agreement on hospital reform and made it clear that this was far from complete. But Kretschmer said about the chances of the previous plans in the Federal Council: “At the current stage, you cannot agree to that.” Otherwise, up to ten Saxon locations could “get into problems”.
Lauterbach denied closure plans, but promised a model calculation of the impact on the countries. Schwesig demanded that the desired specialization and possible merger of the houses should not lead to excessive distances for the patients. The hospital association DKG announced that the clinics accumulated a deficit of 740 million euros every month due to inflation. Cumulatively, it amounts to almost 9 billion. 96 percent of the institutions could no longer cover their expenses from current income.