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MV finance minister demands millions for coastal port boom!
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is calling for more investment in Baltic Sea ports. Prime Minister Schwesig represents the region at the conference.
MV finance minister demands millions for coastal port boom!
At the Prime Minister's Conference in Mainz on Tuesday, an important topic was on the agenda: the future of German ports. The entire discussion took place without the voices of Manuela Schwesig from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Anke Rehlinger from Saarland. Schwesig is currently undergoing rehabilitation after cancer, which is why Patrick Dahlemann, the head of the State Chancellery in Schwerin, took over the business. Dahlemann expressed optimism about the support for an application from his homeland.[nordkurier.de]
The state prime ministers called for more federal investment in the ports because the pressure on public budgets is high. It is crucial that the investment packages are increased, especially for the Baltic Sea ports. Specific demands include the provision of more than the previously planned 38 million euros from the federal government for these important transshipment points. These ports are not only important for the economy, but also for the industrial locations of each individual region.[nordkurier.de]
Political discussions and financing issues
Parallel to the discussions in Mainz, another meeting took place in Berlin, at which the federal and state governments debated the black-red government's investment program and the expected loss of revenue. Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil has already cast a shadow over possible agreements. He does not expect the meetings to be fruitful and reiterated the need for detailed discussions on future investment incentives.[welt.de]
The financial concerns of the states were also addressed during this meeting. Municipal budgets in particular are heavily indebted and urgently need support. Overall, revenue losses of around 48 billion euros are expected for the next few years, which led North Rhine-Westphalia Finance Minister Hendrik Wüst and Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner to increasingly insist on the need for relief.[welt.de]
Successful municipal investments
In order to counteract the infrastructural imbalance, the federal government has made available a total of 3.5 billion euros through the Municipal Investment Promotion Act (KInvFG I). The aim of the program is to help financially weak municipalities and to promote their investment activities. The balance sheet is interesting, showing that 99.5% of the funds were drawn down by the end of 2024. The supported municipalities have been able to significantly increase their investment expenditure since 2015, due to the support provided through the programs.[bundesfinanzministerium.de]
The funding proves to be the right choice, particularly in times of financial bottlenecks, because it became clear that the supported municipalities were more dependent on the financial subsidies than others. Between 2015 and 2023, capital expenditure in these municipalities increased by 77%, showing a clear momentum in municipal infrastructure development.[bundesfinanzministerium.de]
In summary, it can be said that coordination between the states and the federal government as well as the acceptance of the funding mechanisms will be crucial in overcoming the challenges in the public sector and making the ports in the region future-proof. Trust between the actors will be required in order to take the necessary steps to promote investments.