“This is not just a virus attack. We may also face an economic attack later on”, – warns Federal Minister of Transport Andreas Scheuer (CSU) in an interview with Süddeutsche Zeitung. The takeover of German companies by foreign mobility and infrastructure firms is a real threat. Financially weaker companies could become the focus of international “locusts”.
“All over the world there is interest in successful German companies in the field of mobility and infrastructure”, – said Scheuer, who stressed that he is working on a countermeasure strategy. – “We want to make sure that we have reflected these plans from the outside. It’s about securing economic strength in Germany after the crisis”.
Federal Minister of Economics Peter Altmaier (CDU) supported the idea by warning of a “sale” of German industrial and economic interests. Altmayer wants to counteract this with “time-limited government aid”.
In addition, the Munich-based Ifo (Institute for Economic Research) estimates that the “cost” of the coronavirus crisis in Germany is currently over half a trillion euros. The crisis could also cost more than a million jobs.