East German heads of government consult with the Chancellor

East German states call for more long-haul connections

"We also agree that we need more long-haul connections from BER Airport - to better connect and strengthen the economy in eastern Germany," said the CDU politician. According to Wegner, other concerns include equal participation in the distribution of special assets and more investment in the eastern German states.

"I will use Berlin's chairmanship of the MPK East in the coming months to clearly represent the interests of the people in the eastern German states vis-à-vis the federal government," announced the Berlin head of government.

The Federal Government Commissioner for Eastern Germany, Elisabeth Kaiser, added that East and West Germany were faced with the same task for the first time since reunification: industrial restructuring at a time of global tensions and technological upheaval.

"East Germany has learned transformation," said Kaiser. "The task now is to secure the industrial locations, particularly in the automotive and chemical industries, as well as good jobs and build up new strength." This would require targeted future investments in semiconductors, batteries, new materials and digitalization, among other things.