By Stephen Peter
Ceviche from Brandenburg char, buffalo milk mozzarella, fjord trout – visitors can feast on Tuesday evening at the courtyard festival in the Rotes Rathaus. Now there is criticism of the big party of the governing mayor Kai Wegner (50, CDU) with 3500 guests.
The taxpayers’ association is bothered by the fact that the sponsors of the farm festival again include many companies in which the state of Berlin has a stake. “This is a completely unacceptable misappropriation of funds from taxpayers and fee payers,” criticizes club boss Alexander Kraus.
The companies do not pay directly to the Red City Hall, but book a so-called cooperation package with “Berlin Partner” (there are four variants). A standard package costs up to EUR 12,500 (plus VAT), a premium plus package up to EUR 25,300 (plus VAT). Among others, the BVG, the water works, the Gasag, the BER and the housing association Stadt und Land are there.
It’s definitely about larger amounts: BVG, BSR and Wasserbetriebe have booked the plus package, each contributing 23,500 euros to the farm festival. In total, all state-owned companies pay a proud 289,500 euros – so indirectly their customers too.
According to the taxpayers’ association, sponsorship payments from state-owned companies have doubled in recent years. The new Senate spokeswoman Christine Richter disagrees: “Income has increased by ten percent, and at the same time, of course, the costs of the festival have also risen.” Richter emphasizes: “The farm festival has been a living tradition for 21 years.”
Economics Senator Franziska Giffey (45, SPD), who invited to the court festival last year when she was in government at the time, also defends the event: “People come together here who are extremely committed to this city all year round.”
But the taxpayers’ association not only criticizes the payments themselves: pressure is being exerted on the supervisory boards of the state-owned companies so that there is financial support for the farm festival. “Of course, no pressure was exerted,” assures the Senate spokeswoman.