Erfurt (dpa/th) - CDU parliamentary group leader Mario Voigt has criticized the state government's budget draft as not crisis-proof. The budget does not react to the high inflation and the energy crisis and "does not do justice to the seriousness of the situation," said the opposition leader on Monday at the first reading of the draft budget for 2023 in the state parliament. "That's a big mistake." He accused the red-red-green state government of Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow (left) of governing without a plan.
Voigt reiterated his parliamentary group's demand for an energy security fund, which should be financed with around 400 million euros from the forecast additional tax revenue in the coming year. A protective shield could thus be stretched over the municipal utilities and the medium-sized economy, which, like the citizens, suffered from the exploding energy prices. In addition, the municipalities would be left alone in their emergency to finance the accommodation of refugees.
AfD parliamentary group leader Björn Höcke called for Thuringia's own relief package for citizens and business. Instead, some 100 million euros would be sunk - from the point of view of the AfD for climate policy and refugee admission. Höcke exchanged words with CDU faction leader Höcke, whom he accused of symbolic politics.
