There is a huge crunch between the Hanseatic city of Rostock and the state government in Schwerin because of the Federal Horticultural Show 2025. The fronts seem hardened. The head of the Buga Committee sees chances of an amicable solution.
Rostock (dpa/mv) - A punctual opening of the Federal Garden Show in Rostock in April 2025 is becoming increasingly unrealistic, according to the chairwoman of the municipal Buga committee, Jana Blaschka. "It's time for Plan B and to postpone Buga to 2026," Blaschka told the German Press Agency. This is mainly related to the Warnow Bridge, the heart of the Buga. The planning is behind schedule and nothing more is likely to happen in the further course up to the building implementation.
The bridge construction work has not yet been tendered. As long as there is no feedback, nothing can be said about the actual costs or schedules. "Everyone who works in the construction industry knows that nothing can be guaranteed anymore," emphasized Blaschka. Now the planning approval process must be pushed forward. However, since the state has demanded an announcement from Rostock for the coming days, she is pleading for a postponement to 2026. This means that the state can be brought back on board.
Blaschka was convinced that he could convince the state government of this variant, despite the public dispute with Mayor Claus Ruhe Madsen (independent). Agriculture Minister Till Backhaus (SPD) had rejected a Buga at a later date than 2025 after a crisis meeting in May. "But Schwerin also knows how important the Buga is for the whole of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania."
Even without the urban development aspects such as the expansion of the city harbor, the creation of a city park or the construction of a new residential area, the Warnow quarter, Blaschka sees the meaning of the Buga as unbroken. In the surrounding area, many municipalities have applied as partner locations, an incredibly important economic factor. "The Buga will be a magnet for the people of Rostock, the people of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and also for the visitors." 1.7 to 2 million visitors are expected.
Most recently, the state government had increased the pressure on Rostock and demanded a clear willingness for the city to stand by the agreements. From the point of view of the state government, it would make sense to discuss a revised concept in the citizenship meeting on June 22nd.
