Stuttgart (dpa / lsw) – Prime Minister Winfried Kretschmann has vigorously defended his expensive delegation trip to the USA against criticism. He rarely travels far and has only been to the United States three times in eleven years as Prime Minister, the Greens politician said in Stuttgart on Tuesday. “You can’t say that we’re crazy about traveling and making money out of it.” Of course, such a trip is very expensive. But: “We are not a Krahwinkel! Baden-Württemberg is not a Krahwinkel and not a province where you say: “I’m happy at home”. The southwest is an export country and relies on good relationships in the world. Such trips are serious undertakings and not subject to entertainment tax, but the money is well invested. For personal reasons he would rather avoid such trips. “The jet lag plagued me badly,” he said. But he only got positive feedback from the delegation participants.
Kretschmann was on the road with a delegation of more than 100 people in Pittsburgh and California last week. The focus was on technological transformation, business and science. How much the trip cost the country is still unclear. The main criticism was that the rapper Max Herre, who hails from Stuttgart, was flown in to Los Angeles especially for a program item. The opposition accuses the state government of careless handling of tax money. “You can always mess around with something,” said the head of government. “He didn’t even ask for a fee for his performance.”
Cultural exchange is important, stressed Kretschmann. “I’m not a fan of “Grumbiere instead of Kunscht””. Grumbiere is a regional term for potato). Sealing off in nationalism is exactly the wrong way, said Kretschmann.
