Robert Habeck in conversation: "Putin should see how efficient this democracy is"

Mr. Habeck, it's pretty cold in your Ministry of Economics to save energy.

Is that why we don't meet there, but in your cozy and warm Bundestag office?

Patrick Bernau

Responsible editor for economy and "value" of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sunday newspaper.

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Ralph Bollman

Correspondent for economic policy and deputy head of business and “Money & More” for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sunday newspaper in Berlin.

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We are meeting in the Bundestag because I have appointments here.

But you're right: it's quite fresh in the Ministry.

We have a maximum temperature of 19 degrees in the offices, there is no heating in the corridors.

We just stick to the rules.

A year ago you said in the FAS interview that the face of the country would change.

The way it turned out, you probably didn't imagine it.

I literally meant that new infrastructure is changing the look of the country – power lines, wind turbines, solar panels on the roofs, charging stations for electric cars.

You can see what we do, you can touch it, and of course there are also debates about it.

But yes, if you allude to Putin's war, the stoppage of gas supplies, the consequences: I didn't imagine it like that.

Can you keep up this number for another three years?

It would be good if we didn't always operate in the red zone, i.e. had to respond to extraordinary situations with extraordinary laws at extraordinary speed.

But if the need requires it, we will continue to act just as consistently and quickly.

Putin should calmly see how efficient this administration, this democracy is.

We will keep the country strong.

Big changes often happen in crises when everything has to happen quickly.

Would it be better if there was more movement even in quiet times?

I don't want to agree with the sound: we need crises to get better.

That would mean that one is only capable of learning under catastrophic conditions.

That doesn't match my human image.

But it is true that in crises one can and must take steps forward.

Take the acceleration of planning for the LNG terminals: We are maintaining the intellectual property rights, but participation periods have been shortened.

And all levels got behind it, picked up the phone when there was a problem and solved the problem.

Speed ​​comes from the willingness to take responsibility and the will to cooperate.

Should the replacement of motorway bridges also become faster?

Nobody I know has a problem with that.

As energy minister, I say: we have to transport the new wind turbines, for example, and for that I need intact motorway bridges.

You've had a roller coaster ride this year: first the big star, after the failure of the gas levy the total failure.

Were you surprised that it came so quickly?

I paid little attention to one or the other.

That's not correct!

But it's true.

The templates I receive contain all sorts of criteria – financial, legal, climate policy.

Nowhere does it say: With the following decision you make yourself more popular or less popular.

That is not the basis of my political actions.

Then say now, with a little time lag: What went wrong with the gas surcharge?

What does gone wrong mean?

What went wrong is that Russia did not deliver gas and that an answer had to be given without the republic slipping into a gas shortage.

The answer was the gas levy, and once we had a better answer, we no longer needed the gas levy.

The gas levy was a joint project of the coalition, in the end you were alone in the rain.

Did you feel let down by the chancellor and finance minister?

no

No?

no

In the summer we had a discussion about the lack of gas, and in the fall gas prices were discussed.

Gas should first become more expensive, then cheaper – does anyone understand that?