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Serious Corona failure in Merkel's government: Göring-Eckardt warns - "Five past twelve" for the entire industry?

2020-10-15T18:48:59.923Z


GroKo is giving billions to the economy in the Corona crisis - but one field continues to suffer massively: culture. In an interview, Katrin Göring-Eckardt warns: “What we have loved will be missing”.


GroKo is giving billions to the economy in the Corona crisis - but one field continues to suffer massively: culture.

In an interview, Katrin Göring-Eckardt warns: “What we have loved will be missing”.

  • With “Boom” the federal government wants to get through the economic problems of the corona pandemic.

  • Billions are being paid out - but many cultural workers are still left in the rain.

  • Green parliamentary group leader Katrin Göring-Eckardt is amazed at the omissions - and warns of irretrievable losses in the German “cultural landscape”.

Berlin / Munich

-

Finance Minister and

SPD Chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz was

visibly proud of

his "boom" against the

Corona economic crisis

.

In fact, billions have been advertised since the spring - partly in a package, for example for Lufthansa, partly as more detailed help, for example in short-time work *.

Corona hits culture: Göring-Eckardt warns in an interview - "1.2 million people work in the industry"

But apparently not everyone has been thought of: the renowned

music organizer Berthold Seliger

recently made a guest post on the

heise.de

portal

about the all-round attack against the Corona cultural policy of the government of

Chancellor Angela Merkel

(CDU).

For musicians, music organizers and event venues, for example, there are just 135 million euros from the billion-dollar packages, which Seliger believes are often linked to “unfamiliar” conditions.

Also in

Markus Söders

Bayern there was recently criticism of the political course on these issues - even from the CSU, as

Merkur.de

* reported.

Great concern is also reflected

Green Party leader Katrin Goering-Eckardt

.

For many cultural workers it is "five past twelve", she says in an interview with

Ippen-Digital-Zentralredaktion

.

There is a threat of massive economic damage - and irrecoverable loss in German culture.

She has a particular focus on

Economics Minister Peter Altmaier

and

Minister of State for Culture Monika Grütters

(both CDU): the second is apparently not listening - the first must “finally deliver”.

Corona crisis: is Merkel's GroKo forgetting culture?

"In many places, cherished events will be missing"

Ippen-Digital-Zentralredaktion: The culture and events industry is suffering massively from the corona-related restrictions - especially self-employed and private entrepreneurs.

How serious do you think the situation is?

Katrin Göring-Eckardt:

Very seriously, the industry is suffering massively.

It is actually already five past twelve, because the first artists, clubs, small theaters and companies in the cultural industry have already given up or are about to give up.

This is not only a loss of creativity, knowledge and entertainment, but also massive economic damage.

1.2 million people work in the industry and it generates around 110 billion euros.

At the end of the pandemic, our cultural landscape will be completely different, which means that cultural events that we have come to love will be missing in many places.

Do you have an explanation as to why the federal government has so far paid little attention to the interests of these groups, while other industries, or even state cultural institutions, are supported much better?

In the last few weeks I have spoken to many of those affected and I keep hearing that the various aid programs do not adequately take into account the situation in the cultural and creative industries.

In short: the help does not arrive.

Take, for example, help with operating costs.

For many people who practice at home or at best have a small office, this doesn't happen at all.

Instead, support is needed with the cost of living, but artists are pushed into the basic security.

They are not unemployed, they are not even allowed to work.

That is why we demand nationwide self-employment allowance for freelancers.

The event industry has been up to its necks for half a year.

There is a risk of social and cultural loss here that cannot be quantified.

The aid must finally arrive.

Now speed!

#AlarmstufeRothttps: //t.co/YVVnCZAn5L pic.twitter.com/cAeZM4pWQh

- Katrin Göring-Eckardt Member of the Bundestag (@GoeringEckardt) October 14, 2020

Corona crisis and the consequences for culture: Göring-Eckardt misses “effort in Merkel's government” - “Altmaier must finally deliver”

The concert organizer Berthold Seliger has

accused

the federal government of being

“unrealistic”

with a view to planned aid for

culture - would you agree?

Is there a lack of expertise?

In a crisis like this, what is needed above all is foresight and the willingness to tread unconventional new paths.

There is no map or compass to navigate us through.

So it is important to listen very carefully and to look for new solutions together with those affected.

I do not have the impression that the federal government has really made an effort here.

I am surprised that the Minister of State for Culture does not seem to be able to listen attentively and fight for suitable industry aid.

Economy Minister Altmaier has now promised further aid.

Do you anticipate improvement for those working in the cultural sector - and what do you think are the most urgent needs of this group?

Words have to be followed by action, now he has to finally deliver.

Cultural workers and the self-employed are up to their necks.

Economics Minister Altmaier has taken up a suggestion from us with the announced entrepreneur's wages.

He must now implement that and clear the way with unbureaucratic help.

And above all, those affected have to be listened to better so that it becomes clear more quickly what is missing.

There was also further criticism of the federal government's economic corona measures in October: the expensive VAT cut is about to fizzle out, according to several institutes.

Interview: Florian Naumann (* Merkur.de is part of the Ippen-Digital network.)

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2020-10-15

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