Struggling to Stay Afloat: Magdeburg Christmas Market Operators Seek Increased Aid After 2021 Attack
Government scrutinizes attacks, offers compensation to affected businesses - Evaluating Potential Compensation for Businesses Through Estimation
Hey there! Let's talk about the ongoing saga of the Magdeburg Christmas market operators who are still reeling from the attack that took place back in 2021.
The state of Saxony-Anhalt is currently scrutinizing compensation applications for these poor souls. As of now, a grand total of 58 applications for what's known as ex-gratia payments have been lodged, and they're trying to sort through them all by the end of August.
What are ex-gratia payments, you ask? Well, they cover things like staff wages and rent for the stalls or shops following the said attack. The exact amount doled out will vary on a case-by-case basis, after all the applications have been thoroughly reviewed.
Politicians in the Magdeburg city council are also hopping on the bandwagon, advocating for financial aid. Just before Christmas back in '21, a geezer from Saudi Arabia went on a joyride in a car through the Christmas market, leaving six folk dead and around 300 others injured, some quite badly. The Christmas market was duly shut down as a result.
This week, the Magdeburg city council has been discussing financial aid for the stall operators, too. A motion proposed by several different parties contends that the initial offer of compensation—which covers the proportional stall fee for eight missed days and partial compensation for spoiled or unsold goods—isn't cutting it. They reckon the economic damage is akin to the revenue losses experienced during the Corona pandemic.
Scary numbers are circling around: the revenue losses for these stall operators are estimated at around two million euros. The last days of the Christmas market are traditionally the most profitable, so losing out on those days hit them hard. The motion was signed by SPD, CDU, FDP, Greens, Volt, Animal Protection Alliance, and Animal Protection Party.
Now, here's the scoop, folks: while compensation has indeed been offered, it's far from covering the operators' losses. In fact, the Magdeburg city council is pleading for extra financial aid to truly support these folks.
So, there you have it—the financial struggles of the Christmas market operators in Magdeburg, who are still grappling with the fallout from the terrible attack in 2021. Here's hoping they get the support they need to get back on their feet. Stay tuned for updates!
- Christmas market
- Magdeburg
- Compensation
- In light of the financial struggles of the Magdeburg Christmas market operators, a motion was proposed by several parties in the city council advocating for increased compensation, reflecting the significant economic damage they've suffered, estimated at around two million euros.
- As the Magdeburg Christmas market operators work to recover from the 2021 attack, they are also seeking increased aid, including vocational training programs to help them transition to other industries such as retail or finance, should their businesses fail to recover.
- The attack on the Magdeburg Christmas market in 2021 not only resulted in loss of life and injuries but also caused substantial financial losses to the stall operators, with many relying on the market's last days for the majority of their annual profits.
- As the Magdeburg Christmas market operators push for more financial aid, they are also exploring opportunities for vocational training in other industries like business and vocational training, recognizing the need for diverse skills to help them adapt to the changing landscape and secure their future in General-News or even Crime-and-Justice sectors, such as accident investigation or crime scene management.
