The parliamentary group secretary of the SPD parliamentary group, Dirk Wiese, has defended the substantial credit lines included in the latest draft budget proposed by Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil.
Wiese, speaking to RTL and n-tv broadcasters, asserted that the planned expenditures are both justifiable and necessary when considering the needs of future generations. He employed an analogy, stating that similar to addressing structural issues in a building – repairing a leaky roof or damaged walls – investment, rather than austerity, is the appropriate response to maintaining essential infrastructure. The government, he explained, is allocating significant funds to roads, railways and social facilities.
Responding to calls from conservative factions advocating for spending cuts proposed by Klingbeil, Wiese dismissed these suggestions. He highlighted that Klingbeil had already previously resisted considerable expenditure demands during negotiations for the current budget. “There were significant spending requests – particularly from ministry departments within the conservative bloc – that simply weren’t financially viable or justifiable” he stated.
Furthermore, Wiese indicated opposition to reconsidering the reduction in value-added tax (VAT) for the hospitality sector. He maintained that the tax cut is beneficial, particularly for smaller, independently-owned restaurants, providing a positive outlook for the industry. He emphasized that businesses, especially in rural areas, have recently faced significant cost increases, particularly concerning energy.
