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The criticism from the economy of the government's crisis management in the corona pandemic is getting sharper.
The President of the Federal Association of Wholesale, Foreign Trade and Services (BGA), Anton Börner, accuses politicians of not having resorted to the expertise of business managers.
"In the last twelve months, the state has shown once again that it has no command of management and that the structures are not suitable for dealing with real disasters quickly and efficiently," said Börner WELT.
He is convinced that managers would have been much better prepared to deal with the pandemic.
“Such disasters can only be dealt with by people whose daily job it is and who have been trained to deal with uncertainties - and those are managers,” said Börner.
But they are deliberately not listened to by politics.
“You have to involve business experts at the crucial points.
You do that with virologists too, ”demanded the BGA President.
"A group of managers who are familiar with procurement, logistics and distribution belongs equally to the committees."
Politicians lack contact with everyday business life
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In the negotiations with the manufacturers of vaccines in particular, it became apparent that politicians had been overwhelmed.
"The representatives of the EU were not able to negotiate on an equal footing with the employees of a global corporation like the vaccine manufacturer Pfizer," said Börner.
Politicians cannot negotiate purchasing because they have never done so and are not trained to do so.
"There are things in the contracts for vaccine procurement that make every manager cry." In business, people know how to deal with such shortages.
“Politicians think that purchasing would not be a difficult activity.
They believe that anyone can do that, your wife does that too, ”said Börner.
There is a lack of understanding of the complexity of such a procurement process.
"In addition, managers are initially suspicious because they want to earn money," said the BGA president.
"Politicians and officials think they know everything better themselves and have no contact with everyday business life."
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When prioritizing vaccinations, one should also think of employees of exporting companies.
"I am very much in favor of giving priority to doctors, nurses, childcare workers and teachers, but our export-relevant professional groups such as technicians, fitters, sales staff and executives must be vaccinated just as quickly," said Börner.
“If you sell a machine to China, you have to be able to install it there.
That is the basis so that we can generate the Corona aid at all. ”The pandemic fight is currently suffering from perfectionism in Germany.
"If you go around in circles for so long with every decision to avert all potential mistakes, you never come to an end," said Börner.
“That costs time, money and human life.” He therefore perceives extreme dissatisfaction among people.
"With the citizens, the frustration caused by what they have to watch in politics," said Börner.
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He is convinced that this decoupling of politics from the economy is not only evident in vaccination.
"These people move in meta-levels, but here we are not dealing with meta-levels, we are dealing with harsh realities," he said.
"This also applies, for example, to the planned supply chain law, which in its current form is unfamiliar to the company and a heavy blow to small and medium-sized companies that are supposedly not affected at all." But that is not true.
For Börner, the experiences of the pandemic also result in the tasks that the next federal government will have to deal with.
The BGA has put together a catalog of demands in the run-up to the federal elections in autumn, which WELT is at hand.
"We need more agility, not only in the pandemic, but also regardless of the virus," says Börner.
“We have to draw the conclusion from the pandemic to allow more market.” Above all, the trade conflict between the USA and China worries the BGA.
"We need a strong federal government that can mediate between the USA and China in such a way that the German economy is not punished from one side," said Börner.
"That would be fatal for us." There is an urgent need to find a balance between the two powers.
“The secular conflict between China and the US is more dangerous than the pandemic.
It really scares me, ”said the President of Foreign Trade.
"We have to keep the markets open."
The high costs of the corona crisis can only be financed through lower tax rates, not through higher, this is the only way to generate growth.
"We need the debt brake because it is disciplined," said Börner.
"That doesn't mean that you always have to categorically enforce them in the event of a disaster, but we should comply with them again as soon as possible."
In addition, the government must create the conditions so that massive investments can be made in research and development.
“There will always be new pandemics and we have to be prepared for them,” says Börner.
"This pandemic is not the end, but the beginning of a new development."
"Alles auf Aktien" is the daily stock market shot from the WELT business editorial team. Every morning from 7 am with the financial journalists Moritz Seyffarth and Holger Zschäpitz. For stock market experts and beginners.
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