Commissioner for Eastern Europe criticizes deletion of democracy promotion

The Federal Government Commissioner for Eastern Germany, Elisabeth Kaiser (SPD), has criticized the planned cancellation of funding for East German democracy projects in particular. "Once the structures created with the help of taxpayers' money and a lot of voluntary work have disappeared, it is difficult to rebuild them," Kaiser told the "Leipziger Volkszeitung" and the "Sächsische Zeitung" (Tuesday). "We cannot afford this in the current situation."

Around 200 projects will no longer be funded

The "Live Democracy!" program has been funding hundreds of projects for democracy and to combat extremism, racism and anti-Semitism since 2014. This year, around 190 million euros are available.

Family Minister Karin Prien (CDU) had announced that funding for around 200 of several hundred projects would expire at the end of the year. The funding guidelines are to be revised. Criticism of the reorganization plans was voiced not only by the Greens and the Left, but also by the coalition partner SPD.

Kaiser: Committed people need reliable prospects

In Saxony alone, according to the plans, funding for 18 innovation and 6 networking projects from the program is to end prematurely - this corresponds to more than a tenth of the list of cuts.

In structurally weak regions such as Saxony in particular, however, committed people need "support and reliable prospects, otherwise they will give up", Kaiser told the newspapers. "This applies once again to eastern Germany, where civil society structures and democratic parties are significantly weaker."