NRW Prime Minister Armin Laschet visits the flood areas again. Residents are bitterly disappointed with the crisis management – which the CDU boss relentlessly felt.
Swisttal / Schleiden – During a visit to the flood area of Swisttal near Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia’s Prime Minister Armin Laschet was massively criticized by those who suffered from the flood disaster.
While the Union’s candidate for chancellor was walking through the destroyed streets on Monday, two and a half weeks after the storms with dozens of deaths, the anger of many residents over the still lack of help erupted.
So far, he has not seen any support from the state government or the local administration, one man complained. Instead, young people would have helped clean up. Another man also complained about “huge failures” and threatened – also in Laschet’s direction: “You will notice when you vote.” On September 26th there is a general election.
Laschet assured several times that he was there to get an idea and would take care of support. The regions affected need immediate immediate aid. “Then comes the big task: the reconstruction. The federal and state governments will work together. And we are working at full speed so that there will soon be decisions at the federal level, ”said the CDU head of government.
In the storm of the century a good two and a half weeks ago, there were 47 fatalities in North Rhine-Westphalia alone. There was also enormous damage to property. Inadequate communication and late warnings to the population had been criticized from many quarters. Parts of Rhineland-Palatinate were also hit hard, with even more deaths there.
Laschet wants to regulate reconstruction funds by federal law
According to Laschet, the planned reconstruction fund is to be regulated by federal law. “This means that everyone who is now waiting for money is reliably assured that this money will also come.” The prime minister’s conference should take the political decision on the reconstruction fund on August 10th as the timetable proposed by the prime minister. The estimate of the damage should be completed by this point in time.
The federal government could then prepare the law – similar to the way it was tested a few years ago during the flood in East Germany. It is “conceivable” that the Bundestag could pass this law on September 7th. Then there could be a special meeting of the Federal Council.
Laschet spoke out in favor of a special regulation of the bankruptcy code in favor of flood victims. Anyone who has lost their solvency at short notice as a result of the storm should not have to go to the bankruptcy judge. The CDU federal chairman announced that he wanted to bring about a corresponding change in the law in the federal government. Accordingly, the obligation to file for bankruptcy should be suspended “until the immediate emergency has been overcome”.
Laschet promised the municipalities affected by the flood disaster that the planned reconstruction fund would cover the waste disposal costs. “You can now commission companies to dispose of this waste very quickly – either in the landfill or in the waste incineration plant. The commitment applies that the costs for the communities will be taken over. ”The reimbursement was in full, emphasized the Prime Minister.
Laschet: 215 million euros in emergency aid paid out in North Rhine-Westphalia
According to him, a total of 215 million euros in emergency aid has been paid out in North Rhine-Westphalia so far. 140 million of these went to citizens, 10 million to companies and 65 million to municipalities.
Laschet praised the work of the volunteers. “Everywhere I heard the great voluntary commitment there was when the need was greatest,” said the Union candidate for chancellor.
On Monday (August 9th) Laschet wants to discuss the situation in a special session of the state parliament. “In view of the extent of the destruction and suffering that the storm disaster of July brought to our country, I suggest a joint memorial act by the state government and the state parliament,” Laschet wrote to the state parliament president André Kuper (CDU). dpa
