Brandenburg's Economy Minister Jorg Steinbach speaking of Tesla Giga Berlin says "a company should not be penalized if it makes improvements in the ongoing process and at the same time heals deficiencies in the original application," throwing new unexpected support for Tesla Giga Berlin's approval.
He now expects that the US electric car manufacturer Tesla will soon start production at Giga Berlin factory in Grünheide, despite many conditions. "I firmly assume that Tesla will meet the requirements during this time and that the opening can take place as planned," said Steinbach of the "Märkische Allgemeine" (Monday) from Potsdam. "We are on schedule and in constant contact at all levels." The State Environment Agency had approved the construction of the factory on March 4th with numerous requirements and conditions. According to the Ministry of the Environment, Tesla has only planned two weeks for this. The planned opening ceremony could therefore take place next week.
The Economy Minister calls for faster approval procedures when an investor like Tesla makes significant changes in the planning process. Tesla had added the battery factory to the application, so a public display of the construction plans and another hearing of critics were necessary. "A company should not be penalized if it makes improvements in the ongoing process and at the same time heals deficiencies in the original application," said Steinbach. "It can't be, and that has to be the key lesson from the project." In his estimation, without the corona pandemic and without a second public discussion, the approval would have been available after just one and a half years instead of just over two years.
Armen Hareyan is the founder and the Editor in Chief of Torque News. He founded TorqueNews.com in 2010, which since then has been publishing expert news and analysis about the automotive industry. He can be reached at Torque News Twitter, Facebok, Linkedin and Youtube.
