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Bautzen in turmoil: AfD demands repayment of Corona fines!
In the Bautzen district, the AfD is demanding repayment of Corona fines. District council meeting on September 29th will discuss the application.
Bautzen in turmoil: AfD demands repayment of Corona fines!
In the Bautzen district, a current proposal from the AfD faction in the district council is causing a stir. The group is demanding a refund of a total of 346,440 euros that were collected as Corona fines between 2020 and 2022. The application is entitled “Reparation instead of injustice – amnesty for violations of Corona measures and reimbursement of fines” and was submitted to the Bautzen district office. The next meeting of the district council in which this application will be discussed is scheduled for September 29th, and the discussion promises to be exciting because there are different opinions on this topic. How saechsische.de reports, the AfD sees this repayment as a kind of reparation for the payments made by citizens during the strict measures that applied during the pandemic.
Political landscape and developments
The AfD has positioned itself as the strongest force in the 2024 district elections, with an impressive 34.8 percent of the vote. This is a significant success for the party, which now has 32 members in the district council. In comparison, the CDU took off quite a bit, but was only able to achieve 27.2 percent. Loud afd-bautzen.de AfD district chairman Frank Peschel commented on the results and the challenges ahead.
The financial situation of the Bautzen job center also received particular attention. Unplanned expenses amounting to 4.06 million euros were decided here, of which 1.65 million euros will be borne by the district. Another topic that could fuel the discussion are the ongoing questions surrounding the arson attacks on Hentschke Bau GmbH, which have remained unresolved since 2019.
Corona aid in Saxony
In the same breath, it is not unimportant to also shed light on the general regulations regarding Corona emergency aid in Saxony. How mdr.de reported, companies in Saxony do not initially have to repay this emergency aid, as the Saxon Ministry of Economic Affairs has temporarily suspended this. This could further stimulate discussions in the district council, as the AfD has also discussed critically the handling of repayments here.
Sebastian Wippel, an AfD MP, has criticized the strict subsequent checks on Corona aid and advocates for pragmatic solutions for entrepreneurs who have found themselves in a bind. The pressure to deal with this issue could further heat up the upcoming district council meeting.
In summary, it can be said that the topic of the repayment of Corona fines and the financial support of companies in Saxony will cause lively debates. The coming weeks could be decisive for how the political landscape in the Bautzen district will develop.