Tax watchdog flags costly pandas and soaring Bavarian projects
Thursday 1st October 2026 on 11:15 in
Bavaria
Germany’s Taxpayers’ Association has criticised spending on pandas in Munich and several other projects in Bavaria in its annual report on alleged waste of public money, BR reports.
Two pandas from China are due to move to Munich’s Hellabrunn Zoo. Bavaria’s Minister President Markus Söder announced the plan earlier this year, saying the animals could strengthen relations with China and attract more visitors. The zoo has also cited species conservation.
The association says the project will cost more than €20 million. A new enclosure is expected to cost €18 million, funded by the state of Bavaria. The state has also agreed to pay an annual loan fee, officially called a “conservation fee”, in the mid six figures. The exact amount has not been disclosed. The pandas are expected to stay in Munich for at least 10 years.
The report also criticises the cost of Munich’s second S-Bahn trunk route. Construction began in 2017, and the line is now expected to open between 2035 and 2037. The original budget was about €3.8 billion; Deutsche Bahn now estimates the total cost at around €11 billion. The association cites inflation-driven price rises as a main factor.
Other cases listed in Bavaria include a new operations centre for Augsburg’s waste management and street-cleaning service. Its estimated cost has risen from about €37 million to €73 million. In Bad Tölz, the association questions whether a €140,000 climbing tower at the pirate playground on the Isar promenade is proportionate. The renovation of the Mainfranken Theatre in Würzburg was initially expected to cost about €71 million; the estimate has since risen to €242 million.
The Taxpayers’ Association describes itself as an independent, non-partisan, non-profit organisation representing taxpayers. Campaign group Campact has disputed its non-profit status, arguing that it is strongly involved in politics. The association rejects that criticism.
The association says it increasingly receives reports about public spending from staff in government offices and public administration. It says such tips can reflect a sense of responsibility, though some may be driven by rivalry or resentment among colleagues. Its roughly 30 regional associations in Bavaria also pass on information.