Düsseldorf (dpa/lnw) - The North Rhine-Westphalian state government has launched a second aid package, this time amounting to 670 million euros, to deal with the consequences of the Russian war against Ukraine. Almost 400 million euros of this will go into supporting local authorities in accommodating refugees, according to a statement on Tuesday.
Further funds go, for example, into an investment program for the energy and heat transition in order to permanently reduce electricity procurement costs. In addition, money is made available for various refugee projects. 100 million euros are planned for energy efficiency measures in hospitals. Increasing cyber security in business is also being promoted.
At the end of last year, the NRW state parliament decided on an initial package of measures totaling 1.6 billion euros. Both packages are part of a debt-financed crisis rescue package totaling up to five billion euros that the CDU and Greens had decided on. The NRW government wants to use the billions to cushion the consequences of the Ukraine war for NRW.
The opposition had heavily criticized the softening of the debt brake associated with the rescue package and accused the CDU and Greens of wanting to use it to finance black-green election promises.
