The German government could freeze budget spending due to a shortage of funds, the Bild tabloid reports.
“Germany’s new Finance Minister Jörg Kukis is completing his first full week as head of the department. However, he had already faced his first financial disaster. With Germany missing several billion in the current budget, the new head of the Finance Ministry may be forced to take radical measures. “We are talking about freezing the expenses of certain items,” the publication states.
In particular, we are talking about a budget deficit of 12.1 billion euros, which may force the German government to take on additional credit obligations. One of the reasons for the resulting deficit is the excess expenditure projected for the payment of benefits to citizens. One solution to the problem could be an agreement on an additional budget, but the date of its consideration in the Bundestag is now in doubt due to the collapse of the ruling coalition.
The Free Democratic Party of Germany (FDP), which left the government due to the disagreement of Kukis’ predecessor at the head of the German Finance Ministry. Christian Lindner With the current budget policy, he stated that he has no intention of voting in favor of the additional budget.
“I think it is unlikely that the additional budget will be approved in the form planned so far. Neither the CDU/CSU nor the FDP will simply accept this. The Minister of Finance has the right to freeze the budget at any time.” – stated the general secretary of the FDP faction in the Bundestag Thorsten Herbst.
His party colleague, the deputy Frank Scheffler He also made it clear that the FDP is no longer a “spirit for the chancellor”, who has lost the trust of his own citizens.
The consequence of the FDP’s position and the lack of a majority in parliament necessary to agree on an additional budget will likely be a freeze on budget expenditures. As a result, the German government will be forced to suspend a number of programs, including the development of solar energy and the modernization of other infrastructure for renewable energy generation.
“With his minority government of the SPD and the Greens, Chancellor Olaf Scholz makes citizens and businesses hostages to his ego. It is responsible for the continued functioning of the government, which does not have a majority. Therefore, it is also responsible for the laws that were not adopted and, therefore, for the possible freezing of budget expenditures.” – said a representative of the CDU christian haase.
