Angela Merkel has a positive picture of the economic situation in Germany

Chancellor Angela Merkel from the CDU has drawn a positive picture of the economic situation in Germany in view of the more favorable corona infection situation. "In the meantime we are seeing ever clearer signs of recovery," said Merkel in a greeting on the farewell to the previous President of the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK), Eric Schweitzer. "The number of unemployed is falling and is again below the level of the previous year," emphasized the Chancellor. "The number of short-time workers has also fallen for the first time since the beginning of the second lockdown." This is of course due to the economic data, so sales in the retail sector rose again. "Overall, the growth expectations for Germany for this year and next have recently been revised upwards again," stated Merkel. "The current drop in the number of infections is encouraging and shows how effective our measures and rules of conduct are." This also applies to the use of companies that make a significant contribution to this with home office and regular testing. Federal Finance Minister Olaf Scholz from the SPD praised the DIHK's role in the coal compromise, among other things. "Germany has made good use of its financial strength and stabilized the economy," he said, referring to the Corona crisis. "We got through the crisis better than many others. Now things are looking up again." However, the pandemic showed where the problem was. In terms of digitization, Germany is still a long way from being ahead and the complex state structure is sometimes too slow. With a view to climate change, he advocated an acceleration of approval procedures for the expansion of renewable energies and hydrogen technology. "We now have to start building the infrastructure very dynamically," demanded Scholz. The necessary lines must now be created. At the same event, Federal Economics Minister Peter Altmaier from the CDU emphasized that the path to climate neutrality would be taken in such a way "that the competitiveness of our economy is not damaged". Altmaier paid tribute to the outgoing DIHK President: "He was always a clear and authentic voice of the German economy, especially the medium-sized economy of which we in Germany are rightly proud." He is looking forward to working with the new DIHK President Peter Adrian. "Peter Adrian is an excellent choice," he said.