Germany: Bizarre cases of wasted tax money
From funding Hollywood to getting pensioners to walk - Germany has wasted up to 20 billion euros in taxpayers' money, says the Taxpayers Association. Here are the eight most bizarre cases in its 2014 list.
Tax money for George Clooney
Every year, the German Taxpayers Association exposes cases where the federal government could have spent less. Take public film funding: not just German films stand to profit, so do Hollywood blockbusters like George Clooney's "Monuments Men" - supported with 8.5 million euros ($11.8 million) from the coffers of the German Federal Film Fund.
Costly dancing
The state appears to have a soft spot for dance: almost 3.5 million euros are shelled out to promote innovative dance. Absurd, says the Taxpayers Association, and demands "mobilization of more private initiative for dance."
Frozen rooster sperm
The Association of German Pedigree Poultry Breeders and the state-owned Friedrich Loeffler Institute are to receive about 480,000 euros between now and 2017 from the Federal Agriculture Ministry. The taxpayers' money is meant to secure the diversity of chicken breeds for the future by freezing rooster sperm.
Don't forget Chinese senior citizens
The German Education Ministry and China want to cooperate in training carers for the elderly. The idea is to increase China's appreciation of care of the elderly and build a partnership between Chinese medical schools and German academies for healthcare professions. Costs for the taxpayer: 1.2 million euros ($1.7 million).
Stop stay-at-home subsidies
Subsidies allowing parents to stay at home to care for children are expected to cost 515 million euros ($715 million) in 2014. That's money down the drain, says the Taxpayers Association and demands: get rid of subsidies that by no means support poor people but are paid out to "prosperous parents who don't need state assistance."
Over 60, mobile and climate compatible
Cutting down on greenhouse gas is meant to help protect the climate. The German government would like to start its campaign by focussing on pensioners with wanderlust: it's earmarked 1,4 million euros for the homepage of a project that gives the elderly helpful tips on eco-friendly walking instead of driving.
Colorful animal feed
Lupins are used as feed in ecological livestock breeding. The most popular is a blue variety because it's especially resistant to diseases. Perhaps the Agriculture Ministry felt this was too monotonous: by early 2014, it had invested almost 280,000 euros to promote the planting of white and yellow lupins.
Prost!
The Economics Ministry generously supports Erdinger Weissbräu, a brewery in Bavaria, as it strives to improve its energy efficiency. The Ministry donated 640,000 euros so the brewery can test a concept for the use of waste heat. The brewery uses the electricity it generates - but it's the taxpayer who's paid for it.