Despite fuel prices once again rising to record levels, Federal Minister of Economics Katherina Reiche (CDU) maintains that the government will not introduce further state subsidies for the time being. She pointed to the precarious state of the national budget, stating that the introduction of the fuel price brake was an extremely expensive measure, having cost billions of euros. According to Reiche, these funds are not currently available in the federal budget. She added that any new price cap, such as the one demanded by SPD General Secretary Tim Klüssendorf, would cost the state billions unnecessarily, since the global market would not react if Germany imposed a limit. While the 12-hour rule and stricter antitrust legislation have helped increase transparency for consumers, Reiche confirmed that no further measures are currently planned or under consideration. The minister assured the public that the supply situation is secure and there are no shortages. However, she noted that if prices should rise significantly further, the government would be willing to discuss additional measures, though they are not currently scheduled.
Politics
