Russian Connections in Munich: The City's Subsidiaries and Their Relations

Created: 05/02/2022, 22:42

By: Johannes Loehr

Various subsidiary companies of the city of Munich are currently still maintaining economic relations with Russia.

(Iconic image) © Peter Kneffel/dpa

Various subsidiary companies of the city of Munich maintain economic relations with Russia.

Solutions are therefore now being sought in many places.

Munich - Does the city of Munich maintain economic relations with Russia?

Mayor Dieter Reiter (SPD) expressly denied this question during the moving video conference call with his Kiev counterpart Vitali Klitschko in the March city council meeting.

The ÖDP then sensed lies and deceit.

In a request, she asked Reiter to list everything that Russia supplies in terms of energy and services.

In his reply, Reiter denied the accusation of fencing.

The city of Munich does not maintain any economic relations with Russia - of course, the situation is different with its subsidiaries.

However, he will speak out “for all investments in each case for the immediate termination of any existing business relationships”.

Munich: Subsidiaries with Russian connections?

Airport and trade fair in focus

According to Reiter, the city itself and the housing association Gewofag use licenses from the software company Kaspersky.

Here, however, "a corresponding replacement has already been initiated".

According to the mayor, Flughafen München GmbH (municipal share: 23 percent) and its subsidiaries had business relationships with various Russian airlines.

Reiter: "These relationships and contracts are currently on hold." A fuel throughput contract with Rosneft Deutschland GmbH, which last accounted for four percent of the total amount of fuel, is also on hold.

"A resumption is currently not up for discussion." There are also leases for offices or parking spaces with Russian airlines.

Messe München GmbH held a 95 percent stake in “Messe Muenchen Rus LLC”, which organized and held the “bauma CTT Russia” trade fair in Moscow.

"MMG has withdrawn from the Russian market."

Russian relations of the city of Munich: tricky situation at the municipal utilities

At the Stadtwerke München (SWM) the matter is of course trickier.

According to Reiter, they obtain coal and natural gas exclusively from intermediaries or on the stock exchange, while the suppliers in turn obtain part of the quantities from Russia – SWM does not know exactly how much.

In Block 2 of the North thermal power station, a coal mix consisting of 50 percent North American and Russian coal is used.

SWM is already "working hard" to activate alternative sources of supply, "but this can only take effect with a delay of a few months".

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Whether other raw materials in the area of ​​the city or its subsidiaries come indirectly from Russia, such as building materials such as wood or paper, "cannot be determined easily".

Nor whether city official cars are running on Russian fuel.