Overath Town in North Rhine-Westphalia cancelled this year's conventional Christmas fair. The reason is the expanding number of attacks and threats and the deficiency of adequate financial resources to guarantee security.
The yearly event is organised by the OVplus trade association. After over 1 year of talks with local government, the organization decided that this year the Christmas fair would not be held. – We can no longer take financial or individual risks said Andreas Koschmann, president of the association.
OVplus requested financial support from the city authorities for setting anti-terrorism barriers and hiring safety personnel. Unfortunately, the application was rejected. Since the association has already spent EUR 7,000 on its safety at the Spring Fair, OVplus funds are not adequate for a akin investment now.
W Germany has increased the number of knife attacks, vehicle bombings and bomb threats at public events. This in turn caused increased safety costs for events involving a large number of people. Insecurity and bureaucracy are presently threatening conventional German celebrations in many cities – not only in Overath.
There is inactive a chance that the trade union with the city will come at the last minute. For now, however, the fair is cancelled and the organisation of further events in the future is besides threatened – specified as the summertime festival.
Source: tvrepublika.pl
AF
![Rzecznik NBP: zarząd banku centralnego przyjął uchwałę, nie ma mowy o buncie [materiał partnera]](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAYAAABytg0kAAAAFElEQVQYV2N8+vTpfwYGBgZGGAMAUNMHXwvOkQUAAAAASUVORK5CYII=)
