Schwerin (dpa/mv) – The state parliament of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania wants to launch a supplementary budget for the planned energy fund next Thursday in an emergency session in order to relieve people of the high prices. That said a spokeswoman for the SPD parliamentary group on Friday.
The energy fund should have a volume of 1.1 billion euros, as Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig (SPD) had announced. Of this, 600 million should come from the federal aid packages, with the state contributing 500 million euros itself.
The state’s existing hardship fund is to be increased from 30 million to 100 million euros. It should be used in existential emergencies. Money from the state’s energy fund is also to be made available to finance the planned Germany ticket for 49 euros and the extended housing benefit. In addition, ports and infrastructure are to be converted to the future energy supply.
The country does not want to incur new debts, Schwesig had emphasized. The additional expenditure associated with the energy fund is to be largely covered by the country’s expected budget surpluses.
According to the spokeswoman for the SPD parliamentary group, it is unclear whether the supplementary budget can be passed in the state parliament as planned on December 7th. There are still a number of unanswered questions, including the specific design of the federal programs, she said.