Berlin's Interior Budget Faces Minimal Cuts Amid Wider Austerity Measures

Officials defend prioritizing personnel costs for police and fire services as other sectors experience deeper reductions.

Berlin's Interior Ministry has avoided significant budget cuts, with two-thirds of its funding allocated to personnel costs for police and fire services.
State Secretary Christian Hochgrebe emphasized the importance of maintaining spending on police and firefighter training despite overall austerity measures.
Berlin's unique security demands, including embassy protection and managing over 7,000 annual demonstrations, were cited as reasons for preserving the budget.
Criticism arose over planned expenditures like a costly fence for Görlitzer Park, with opposition parties suggesting alternative revenue strategies such as revisiting parking permits or property taxes.
The CDU proposed reducing bureaucracy and introducing technical solutions to improve efficiency and free up resources.