Magdeburg (dpa/sa) – In the course of the debate about rising energy prices, Saxony-Anhalt’s Economics Minister Sven Schulze (CDU) spoke out in favor of greater relief for companies. Not only large companies have to be considered, but also the many small and medium-sized companies, said Schulze on Thursday in the state parliament of Saxony-Anhalt. A hardship fund at federal level is also needed.

The CDU politician made it clear that security of supply is important. To do this, one must speak “free of ideology” about the availability of energy. Schulze described the planned gas allocation as wrong in its current form. The Economics Minister also called for better involvement of the federal states in energy policy decisions.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) wants to invite the prime ministers of the 16 federal states to a federal-state summit to talk about the costs of the planned relief package. On Sunday, the traffic light coalition in Berlin presented a third package of measures to compensate for the rapidly rising prices, which the government estimates at around 65 billion euros.