8:38 p.m.: The round of talks is now over. We thank you for reading along with FOCUS online.
Habeck criticizes climate glue: “This form of protest is wrong”
8:34 p.m.: However, with a view to the “last generation”, Habeck is concerned about the more radical forms of protest. He criticizes the climate stickers and says that they need majorities to change anything. “Find forms of protest that create majorities. But this form of protest is wrong,” criticizes Habeck.
8:31 p.m.: Zack, next topic: It’s about climate activists like Fridays for Future. Habeck admires the fervor of the young people, he wasn’t so passionate about such topics at that age. The achievement of Fridays for Future is historic because it reached large parts of the population and got them excited about climate protection.
When it comes to the A20, laughter breaks out after Habeck’s comment
8:28 p.m.: Habeck replies dryly: “Well, apparently no bottlenecks will be eliminated on the A20.” Laughter breaks out in the audience. “Some viewers here probably see things differently,” grins Gollach.
8:24 p.m.: The journalists’ questions are becoming more and more local. It is about the accelerated procedures of certain motorway projects. “Why isn’t the expansion of the A20 accelerated?” asks Gollach. Habeck explains: “Transport Minister Wissing has a list of bottleneck eliminations, the accelerations are based on this list. However, the A20 is not on it.” Gollach asks why.
8:20 p.m.: The focus now is on expanding renewable energies and decarbonising industry. Habeck explains that it is important to cap electricity costs to support the industry today, but the turnaround must be pushed ahead in order to have climate-neutral industry at German sites in the future.
Habeck: “Cars will still be necessary in rural areas”
8:16 p.m.: “There will never be a transport network in the countryside like in Berlin-Mitte, so we have to be realistic,” says Habeck. He knows very well that cars are still needed in rural areas and private transport is needed in rural areas. But there are other interesting models: e-car sharing or dial-a-bus are potential ways to decarbonize traffic in rural areas.
8:14 p.m.: A trainee from a rural area asks when the ticket will also be useful for people who only have a bus twice a day.
8:12 p.m.: New topic! Because: The 49-euro ticket is valid from Monday. But the ticket is not a relief for everyone, because the transport network in the country is not as developed as in the big cities.
8:09 p.m.: However, Habeck agrees with the baker on one thing: Energy prices that are as low as before the war will not come back in the next few years. That is why the federal government is working with the energy transition, smart meters and funds to relieve the burden on companies and people.
8:08 p.m.: “I expressed that very unhappily,” Habeck apologizes and explains what he actually meant. The Greens politician explains to a baker who is present that he hopes that the electricity price brake, which should also work for the problems of bakers, will work for him arrived and relieved him.
8:06 p.m.: Now the editor-in-chief Gollach introduces the next round of topics. It is about the controversial statements by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, when Robert Habeck said to bakeries suffering from electricity prices that bankruptcies do not have to be filed immediately if production had to be stopped because of the costs.
8:04 p.m.: Robert Habeck appeals that he understands the criticism and concern and now expects his state secretary to own up to his mistakes. “He’s also paying a high price now,” says Habeck and then lists the successes Patrick Graichen has already achieved for Germany.
Habeck on the Graichen linkage: “There was a mistake here”
8:02 p.m.: “ No, he wouldn’t have, but Patrick Graichen shouldn’t have been part of the selection process. There was a mistake here,” explains Habeck.
7:59 p.m.: Eva Quadbeck asks how the controversial interdependencies of his State Secretary Graichen are and when Habeck found out about them. “Only on Monday,” said Habeck. Quadbeck asks if he shouldn’t have told him earlier.
7:57 p.m.: The Economics Minister is chauffeured enormously by the statements made by the Springer boss. It cannot be that Döpfner, as a publisher with so much power, is allowed to speak negatively about East Germans and Muslims. Döpfner said “very ugly things” about both population groups, said Habeck. “I don’t think that’s appropriate. I don’t want groups to be talked about in this country,” said the Green politician.
7.55 p.m.: Change of subject: Robert Habeck wants to talk about the statements made by Springer boss Mathias Döpfner. Recently, chat messages from the Springer boss were published, who spoke disrespectfully about East Germans and Muslims.
7:54 p.m.: In any case, politics will mainly relieve citizens based on social factors of income and need. Old age is simply an additional relief in old age. In the heating dispute with the FDP, Robert Habeck is willing to compromise. “Transitional periods can be negotiated, social cushions can be increased,” said the Green politician. “You can look at the income limit again,” stressed Habeck. “The Bundestag will certainly do something in its wisdom.”
“Age limit is an offer of kindness”
7:52 p.m.: “ The age limit should be a relief so that you don’t have to deal with this stuff,” says Habeck. The age limit is an additional boundary. “It is an offer of friendliness” so that older people no longer have to deal with it.
7.50 p.m.: But private individuals are not neglected either. An RND reader asks how sensible the exception limit from 80 is at all. Instead, the burden can already be relieved from retirement age.
7:47 p.m.: “Without knowing your project exactly, it will be possible to complete the heat transition with tax relief or energy advice,” says Habeck. Habeck explains in detail which funding opportunities are available for companies and that this can be done together.
7.45 p.m.: However, the two editors-in-chief are not alone, they have another guest. Ulrik Schlenz is on site in Kiel, he is chairman of the Wankendorfer building cooperative. His building cooperative is now facing enormous problems in replacing the gas networks and is asking how all of this is to be implemented.
7.40 p.m.: Habeck explains that the traffic light not only bid farewell to Merkel as a person, but also to her politics. In terms of climate policy, it is necessary to initiate the heat transition, but the population and industry are not alone.
Journalist asks Habeck: “Doesn’t politics have to be closer to the population?”
7:37 p.m.: “ So the FDP can’t change anything about it, even if they want to?” asks Gollasch and adds that many people in Germany are also against the heat plans. “Doesn’t politics have to be closer to the people?” she asks. Habeck himself wants to answer the question differently.
7.35 p.m.: Now let’s get straight to the point. The topic that has been occupying the press, citizens and politicians in Germany for months. The heating plans from 2024. Habeck explains that the core of the heating plan is not to install any new gas or oil heaters from 2024 (with exceptions). Little can be shaken at the core.
7:33 p.m.: First, Gollasch asks if Habeck is happy that the winter was so mild and that Germany got through the weather and the energy crisis unscathed. Habeck explains that he is initially happy that energy was saved through a joint effort.
7.30 p.m.: The round of questions to Robert Habeck begins. As the RND editor-in-chief Eva Quadbeck explained, Habeck should not be afraid of any question. The editor-in-chief of the Kieler Nachrichten, Stefanie Gollasch, also interviewed the Greens politician – and started right away.
Economics Minister Habeck asks questions about the heating plan
7:26 p.m.: The question and answer session with Economics Minister Robert Habeck is about to start.
Vice Chancellor and Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection Robert Habeck is a guest at “RND on site” in Kiel on Friday evening. There, the Greens politician answered questions from RND editor-in-chief Eva Quadbeck and editor-in-chief of “Kieler Nachrichten” Stefanie Gollasch.
The topic is the heat transition and the associated heating plans of the minister. They have caused a major dispute in the traffic light coalition.
