“The federal government is an obstacle to investment,” says Christoph Ahlhaus, chairman of the BVMW, in an interview with the F.A.Z. It does not do the wrong thing, but too little, and leaves entrepreneurs in uncertainty through missing and “botched” communication. Nothing remains of the euphoria after the change of government in 2025.
Ahlhaus hopes for a signal of unity before the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt and demands the promised reforms. “We need a jolt again,” he says. The Mittelstand is ready to make a financial contribution, but needs reliable prospects beyond the legal framework in three, five, or seven years. Otherwise, no one will dare to invest anymore.
The halt of the Central Innovation Programme for SMEs (ZIM) is not helpful. The Federal Ministry of Economics announced in early July that it would temporarily not accept new applications. Furthermore, Ahlhaus advocates abolishing the solidarity surcharge for companies as well: “The solidarity surcharge now only serves to milk us.” The infrastructure in eastern Germany is in many places better than in the west.
Source: www.faz.net
