Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing (53) Photo: dpa
By Stephen Peter
The boss of the transport association Berlin-Brandenburg (VBB) a crook? Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing (53, FDP) raises this harsh accusation against Ute Bonde (55).
The background to the strange argument is the VBB boss’s criticism of the minister because of the future financing of the 49-euro ticket. The minister wants the federal states to bear additional costs alone from 2024. “That doesn’t work. That’s not how you behave,” Bonde says indignantly. The federal government finally proposed the ticket and cannot now shirk its responsibility.
“Ms. Bonde is cheating,” Wissing retorted on RBB. There is an agreement with the prime minister and the federal government on financing. It was “a somewhat unusual approach from the VBB to bring such things into the world”.
VBB boss Ute Bonde (55) Photo: picture alliance/dpa
The VBB is now sulking and does not want to react to Wissing’s accusation. “Another statement on this is not necessary from our point of view,” said a spokesman tight-lipped to the BZ
“The fact that Mr. Wissing portrays the VBB boss as a liar is a strong piece,” criticizes traffic expert Johannes Kraft (45, CDU). “That’s not a reasonable way of dealing with each other, so an apology is due.” The discussion about the financing of the 49-euro ticket was “sleight of hand by the federal government,” said Kraft.
Kristian Ronneburg (36, Left): “Whether the ticket can be continued will depend crucially on the federal government, because it introduced it and is therefore also financially responsible. Berlin should reject a unilateral imposition of the additional costs on the federal states if the ticket is continued.”