2024-09-22 16:42:27
The US company Intel has put its plans to build a chip factory near Magdeburg on hold. The traffic light government may not be unhappy about the cancellation.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) has not ruled out temporarily using part of the state aid for Intel to close budget gaps. At the same time, the federal government wants to advance semiconductor development in Germany and ensure “that we manage well with our finances,” said Scholz in Astana, Kazakhstan, in an initial reaction to the postponement of the construction of the Intel semiconductor factory in Magdeburg.
That is why it is now the subject of “very constructive discussions” on how to deal with it. “I also assume that we will simply use our options in all directions. It is not just black and white.”
However, Scholz spoke out against hasty decisions. “There is no reason to say from one day to the next how we will deal with each individual case,” he said.
Intel had postponed the start of construction of its 30 billion euro chip factory in Magdeburg by two years. Last year, the German government had promised state aid of 9.9 billion euros for the settlement.
Finance Minister Christian Lindner had previously called for “all funds not needed for Intel” to be used to close gaps in the federal budget. The budget makers in the Bundestag are examining where the federal government’s draft budget needs to be changed – and how the gap of twelve billion euros can be reduced.