Thursday, July 11
Berlin mayor doesn’t want tourists visiting for “cheap”, “safe” drugs
In April of 2023 following a repeat election, Berlin voted in Kai Wegner as its first CDU mayor in more than 20 years. It did not take long before a clear change in the spirit of the administration became noticeable as he quickly set forward plans such as the fence around Görlitzer Park, or proposals to develop Tempelhofer Feld. And he doesn’t seem to be stopping there.
During a discussion on Berlin tourism this Monday, Berlin’s mayor spoke out against “drug tourism”, stating his opinion that a city like Amsterdam should not become “a model for Berlin”. “”I don’t want people to come to this city because they can consume drugs here most cheaply or safely,” he told journalists.
So what is his model for the future of the city? Apart from his austerity measures for Neukölln and “cleaning up” of the U8, Wegner has set his sights on getting more air traffic to BER airport, warning Berliners against talking negatively about the famously troubled project. “If we Berliners all say how rubbish this airport is, then we shouldn’t be surprised if no planes land here.”
