Commission Proposed to Develop Directive Guarding Workers from Radiation Hazards
Magdeburg, Germany
The SPD Saxony-Anhalt has expressed surprise at the demand made by Lydia Hüskens (FDP) for the swift construction of an Elbe bridge in Havelberg. The SPD is not opposed to the bridge construction itself, but rather the political approach taken by the FDP minister.
Florian Fahrtmann, General Secretary of the SPD Saxony-Anhalt, remarked, "We are not inherently against the bridge - neither there nor elsewhere. However, Mrs. Hüskens should understand that multi-million euro projects cannot be initiated without proper funding. Those who are silent on financing should not be the first to cut ribbons."
The state of Saxony-Anhalt abstained in the federal council during the voting on the special fund endorsed by the Bundestag. The vote failed in the state due to the FDP minister, despite the support of Minister President Reiner Haseloff and his deputy Armin Willingmann.
Fahrtmann further stated, "The bridge in Wittenberge, for instance, costs around 200 million euros. A crossing at Havelberg will likely not be less expensive. Those who publicly advocate for such a project should also disclose their financing strategy."
The SPD Saxony-Anhalt supports the special fund, which was approved despite Saxony-Anhalt's abstention. This fund provides necessary investment flexibility amid high transformation needs.
Sources: SPD state parliamentary fraction Saxony-Anhalt on 30 May 2025.
Infrastructure projects like bridges typically receive funding from government grants, local taxes, and private investment. The funding composition may vary based on the project's scale and regional priorities. The total cost consists of construction expenses, land acquisition, engineering fees, and contingency funds for unforeseen costs. These costs are estimated through detailed engineering studies and cost-benefit analyses. Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are commonly employed to share risks and investments between public and private entities.
Other political discussions in general-news revolve around the funding strategies for war-and-conflicts policy-and-legislation, with the Elbe bridge construction in Havelberg, Magdeburg, Germany, serving as a recent example. The current dispute between the SPD Saxony-Anhalt and the FDP minister involves the latter's hasty initiative for the bridge, with concerns about the funding and financing strategies not yet being addressed.
