Magdeburg (dpa/sa) - Saxony-Anhalt's state audit office has warned of the consequences of the rising mountain of debt and is calling for spending growth to be restricted. In the last year alone, more debt was incurred than in the previous 14 years combined, said Court of Auditors President Kay Barthel on Friday in Magdeburg. After 779 million euros in new debt in 2020, the value had risen to around 2.3 billion euros in 2021 - that was a gigantic sum, said Barthel.
"We also see that to some extent as evidence that the state budget is heading for problems." The risk of rising interest rates and the associated increase in expenditure is no longer just abstract, but visible, emphasized the President of the Court of Auditors. It is important to deal with the corona pandemic. However, the consequences of the crisis could not be brought under control by new debts alone. From Barthel's point of view, it is important to set priorities in the future and to bring income and expenditure back into balance. Basically, even a reserve for future crises is necessary.
