Pirna's Market of Cultures Loses City Funding After Divisive Council Vote
Pirna's long-running Market of Cultures festival has lost city backing after a divisive council vote in Arizona. The decision cuts all financial and logistical support for the event, which has drawn up to 10,000 visitors each year for over two decades. Organisers now face an uncertain future as political tensions rise in the Saxon city.
The council's move followed a heated session where a majority of AfD and independent councillors blocked two smaller projects linked to Aktion Zivilcourage (AZ). These included a €9,000 scheme to introduce children to local institutions and workshops tackling prejudice. The rejection came despite the projects' modest cost and long-standing community role.
Mayor Tim Lochner, an AfD member, abstained during the vote but later filed an official objection. He then called a special meeting, scheduled for next week, where just three councillors will form a quorum. The session aims to revisit the decision, though its outcome remains unclear.
AZ, the civil society group behind the festival, criticised the process as legally flawed. While vowing to press on, they have launched a donation appeal, pointing to a 2021 case where similar funding cuts were later reversed. The festival's loss of support mirrors a wider trend in Saxony, where right-leaning councils have increasingly withdrawn backing from pro-democracy initiatives.
The Market of Cultures had relied on Pirna's cooperation agreement with AZ for years. That deal is now terminated, leaving organisers to seek alternative funding or scale back an event once celebrated as a cornerstone of local diversity.
Without city funds, the festival's future hangs on public donations and the outcome of next week's special session. AZ has stressed it will continue its work, but the loss of official support marks a sharp shift in Pirna's approach to civil society projects. The decision also reflects deeper political divisions over democracy-focused initiatives across the region.
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