Angela Merkel gets free tickets for life
NewsThe Austrian Government has told Angela Merkel she can see anything she wants to for free at the Salzburg Festival as long as she lives.
The gift was made by the disgraced former Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and has been endorsed by his successor.
His department says: ‘The Federal Chancellery will send a letter to the retired Federal Chancellor every year asking her about her wishes regarding possible festival performances for her and her husband. In addition, the Federal Chancellery will take care of booking tickets for the performances selected by Ms. Merkel (in cooperation with the Festival).’
Chancellor Merkel and her husband have been regular visitors to the Salzburg Festival down the years.
photo: Twitter
Nice retirement present. Any word from Bayreuth?
as long as she properly reports all gifts as income and pays the appropriate income tax
(talking about a poisoned gift, lol)
Well, as a retired head of state with plenty of enemies even in retirement, I would guess that she will have vultures looking over her shoulder scrutinizing her every move so they can pounce; in fact, as you just demonstrated, she already has them.
As Mme. Merkel has hitherto always paid for her own tickets, I have no doubt that she will make the appropriate income tax declaration. At least such a generous gift will not wasted on someone who is incapable of appreciating it.
She should get free tickets for the Vienna Opera too – her garment would go well with the safety curtain.
A generous, welcome and well deserved gesture though this undoubtedly is for a political leader who has so consistently supported music performances with her presence AND always paid for her own tickets, it won’t surprise me if she responds by saying thank you very much but I prefer to buy my own tickets as I’ve always done…
…before apologising for 2015.
She’s such a great leader. Although not my political party, I think Angela Merkel has shown leadership, responsibility and integrity. With heart for the arts!
It doesn’t take much for a politician to stand out from the rest on cultural matters.
Beautiful gesture.
This was the reason she clinged to her position for so long, till finally Vienna gave-in.
One of the few (former) heads of state who actually APPRECIATES classical music, rather than just consider attending concerts a social and political duty. It was Tony Blair who first made his disdain of classical music public, with indirect but devastating effects on culture policy.