Düsseldorf (dpa / lnw) – After massive criticism from the State Audit Office (LRH), the North Rhine-Westphalian government is changing its budget plans again. However, she is sticking to the planned, credit-financed “special fund for crisis management” for the consequences of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. Finance Minister Marcus Optendrenk (CDU) presented a significant change on Thursday evening in Düsseldorf: the state parliament should decide on measures that are paid for from the special fund.
According to the Minister of Finance, the first package of measures should be decided immediately after the adoption of an addendum to the 2022 budget, which is scheduled for Tuesday. The money is to be used, among other things, to fight poverty and to cushion rising energy costs.
The black-green state government provides for a credit authorization of up to five billion euros for the special fund. Last week, the state parliament with the majority of the government factions had determined an “extraordinary emergency” for NRW. This makes it possible to take out loans beyond the limit of the debt brake. Both the opposition and the LRH had raised constitutional concerns.
