Brandenburg's Minister of Economics Explains Tesla GF4's Significance in the Region

Brandenburg's Minister of Economy Jörg Steinbach recently expressed his optimism about the arrival of Tesla's Gigafactory 4 near Berlin, and why the presence of the electric car maker makes the region more attractive. According to the minister, the presence of the American electric car pioneer will likely attract workers, particularly young people, all over the country,

In a statement to Der Tagesspiegel, Steinbach remarked that overall, the whole Brandenburg region would probably be more enticing to Germany's workforce due to the upcoming electric car factory. It would, in a way, even serve as a big advertisement for Brandenburg, showing other potential companie that the region is worth investing in.

Interview with Brandenburg's Minister of Economics
"Tesla makes the whole region more attractive" Jörg Steinbach explains the importance of Tesla for the Mark. And why the negotiations were difficult.
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— #Gf4 #Gigafactory4 (@Gf4Tesla) December 27, 2019

"I am optimistic that young people from all over Germany and far beyond want to take part in this project. Tesla can make the whole region more attractive. This also includes paying good wages and offering attractive working conditions. That is also a wonderful advertisement for our business location Brandenburg," he said.

The minister further stated that Brandenburg's relationship with Tesla would benefit both parties. This was highlighted in the negotiations that were held between the electric car maker and government officials in the months leading up to Elon Musk's announcement last month.

According to Steinbach, the negotiations with Tesla have always been fair, with the electric car maker looking to tap into Germany's workforce and Brandenburg aiming to secure future-proof jobs.

"I see ourselves as a kind of loot community: Tesla wants to sell cars in Germany and Europe, we want new, future-proof jobs," the Minister of Economy added.

Nevertheless, Steinbach admitted that there were challenging times during Brandenburg's negotiations with Tesla. Much of them had to do with the electric car maker's startup traits, a lot of which is adopted by the company today. "They are reluctant to be restricted," the economy minister said. This became prominent when Tesla and officials were deciding on subsidies, which Tesla representatives reportedly found restricting.

⚠️⚠️Breaking Update⚠️⚠️

Tesla GF4 Germany 🇩🇪 Gigafactory 4's Purchase Contract Officially Signed‼️

Congrate to @elonmusk & @Tesla team!

via @Tesmanian_com blog$TSLA #Tesla #GF4 #Germanyhttps://t.co/MRKSouMcRL

— Vincent (@vincent13031925) December 20, 2019

Yet, the arrival of Gigafactory 4 in Brandenburg is starting to inspire the local community. While some paperwork is still being processed, the locals of the region appear to be quite excited to see Tesla expand its footprint in the region. A grassroots movement called #WelcomeTesla has been established, for one, helping alleviate fears that public opinion may be against Gigafactory 4.

"About six weeks before the location was decided, we were asked what mentality Tesla was expecting here. While the head of our business development department gave examples of Brandenburg's industrial friendliness, I held up my iPad with the homepage of #WelcomeTesla-- the grassroots movement organized in Lusatia--to draw the company's attention to us. It was well-received," Steinbach said.

Featured Image Credit: @Gf4Tesla/Twitter