The opposition left-wing faction in the state parliament is demanding that the Brandenburg state government relieve the burden on citizens and companies in view of the high inflation and energy prices. The loans of around one billion euros that are still possible to combat the corona pandemic could be used for this, said Left Party MP Ronny Kretschmer on Tuesday. With a motion for the plenary session in October, the Left Group wants the purpose of this Corona fund to be expanded to include help from the country because of the high prices.

Finance Minister Katrin Lange (SPD), on the other hand, had always pointed out that the purpose of the special fund created to combat the corona pandemic could not be changed afterwards. In the afternoon, the state government wanted to present its draft for a double budget for the next two years.

For the BVB/Freie Wahler faction, which is also in opposition, its financial policy spokesman Philip Zeschmann pointed out that this fund could only be set up after the state parliament had declared the emergency situation due to the corona pandemic. Changing this purpose afterwards is constitutionally very difficult, said Zeschmann. Instead, he called on the state government to finance aid for citizens and companies from the significant additional tax revenue.

AfD faction leader Hans-Christoph Berndt demanded that the state parliament should declare the emergency regardless of a decision in the federal government. "Brandenburg must declare the emergency and then relieve those who bear the burden, i.e. the taxpayers," he said.