Schwerin/Neubrandenburg (dpa/mv) - With the planned hardship fund, the state government also wants to cushion the consequences of the energy price crisis for non-profit sports clubs in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. "The fund alone has ten million euros for social institutions and the areas of culture and sport," said Sports Minister Stefanie Drese (SPD) on Saturday on the occasion of the 25th state sports day in Neubrandenburg. When designing the fund, the government "expressly thought of sport and our clubs".

The budgetary basis for the fund has already been laid with the introduction of a supplementary budget, said Drese. He should be adopted in the second week of December. "Immediately afterwards, the concrete design of the hardship fund can begin." She agreed with the State Sports Association that this should be done in a simple process and with little administrative effort.

According to Minister Drese, organized sport is the largest social movement in the north-east. "Sport creates integration, belonging, orientation and social stability and thus makes a significant contribution to cohesion in our society." More than 260,000 members are organized in 1843 sports clubs under the umbrella of the state sports association. "That corresponds to 16.2 percent of the population of our country," said Drese.