Bunchancellor Olaf Scholz emphasized the outstanding importance of an influx of qualified workers, especially for East Germany. In Saxony, for example, around one in three employees will retire in the next seven years, said Scholz in his opening speech at the East German Economic Forum in Bad Saarow. Many companies see a looming labor shortage as a more pressing concern than high energy prices, according to a survey.
On the one hand, Scholz pointed to attractive wages as a means of attracting workers; on average, wages in the east are still noticeably lower than in the west. The federal government is working on a modern immigration law for skilled workers, but soft location factors also play a role in success. A change in awareness is necessary: foreign skilled workers should also be welcome. The President of the Federation of German Industries, Siegfried Russwurm, had previously taken the same line. “We have to attract bright minds from all over the world,” Russwurm said. “Xenophobia is the last thing this country needs.”
“We don’t just talk, we act now”
Scholz said he knew that there were also crunches in the ongoing process of transforming the German economy. “We’re not just talking, we’re acting now,” said the Chancellor. “The trend used to be: we postpone the decisions as long as possible.” In the future, a higher proportion of renewable energies will ensure lower electricity prices. The government is in the process of simplifying processes by simplifying approval procedures. But the administration must also have the confidence to make decisions more quickly.
Representatives of the East German economy objected that they support the process of transformation, but often feel overwhelmed by the ongoing process. But the prospect of falling energy prices in the future is not the only thing that will help; In addition, politicians think too one-sidedly of the employees and too little of the often small companies. Companies would therefore make concrete decisions against their home location in order to secure their future.