Erfurt (dpa/th) - Thuringia wants to use hardship regulations in the energy crisis, for example to help small and medium-sized companies that are not sufficiently relieved of the price caps for electricity and gas. According to the Thuringian State Chancellery on Thursday, the federal and state governments agreed during consultations on Wednesday that the federal government would provide one billion. Thuringia would contain around 27 million euros of this. Thuringia's Prime Minister Bodo Ramelow explained that the Free State would have to contribute the same amount. "But we would also achieve the doubling of the sum," said the left-wing politician. This means that around 54 million euros are available in Bavaria.
The one billion euros from the federal government should be taken from a total of 12 billion euros, which should also be used for hardship regulations, which, for example, should also help hospitals and other facilities, as a spokesman for the State Chancellery explained.
It was initially unclear what exactly the hardship regulations would look like. Ramelow emphasized that he was already in contact with the chambers of commerce.
At the same time, they urged patience: "Please take a look at the actual billing first, then see what liquidity bottlenecks this causes, so that we can help in a specific case." First of all, the price brakes would have to be taken into account. "Then we'll see if the same companies are still up to their necks when it comes to gas and electricity."
The SPD energy politician Denny Möller called for a speedy concrete implementation of the results of the Prime Ministers' Conference (MPK). "At the same time, we also have to make provisions for any individual cases in which people are affected by existential hardship despite the measures taken. The Thuringian emergency fund recently approved by the state parliament is therefore a correct and important addition," explained Möller.
He thinks a nationwide hardship fund is a good idea. "We have to make sure that providers of public services, social service providers, care facilities, hospitals, kindergartens and private households do not get into trouble because of high advance payments."
The Thuringian CDU parliamentary group called the results of the MPK disappointing. "There remains a winter gap for citizens and medium-sized businesses," complained CDU faction leader Mario Voigt. If you heat with oil, look in the pipe - in Thuringia this affects every fifth house. "The gas price brake must start on January 1st and the owners of oil and wood pellet heating systems urgently need relief," Voigt demanded.
