A construction machinery trade fair will again take place in Moscow this year, but no longer under the direction of Messe München and with the title “Bauma”. Messe München is withdrawing from its business in Russia because of the war of aggression against Ukraine. That is why the previous Russian Bauma is no longer organized by the Russian subsidiary of Messe München, said a spokeswoman for the fair. At the same time, the Russian subsidiary, in which Messe München holds a 95 percent stake, is ceasing to operate.
The activity of the fair in Russia came into focus in March after the video statement by the mayor of Kiev, Vitali Klitschko, in the city council. Klitschko called on Germany to end economic relations with Russia. Mayor Dieter Reiter (SPD) described Munich as exemplary: “In Munich we have no economic relations whatsoever with Russia.” As a result, ÖDP city councilor Nicola Holtmann accused the mayor of not telling the truth – which Reiter angrily rejected.
Through the Stadtwerke (SWM) and the trade fair, which the city owns almost 50 percent, Munich had and still has economic ties to Russia. For the time being, SWM will continue to obtain coal and gas from Russia via intermediaries. “How honest is Mayor Reiter?” Is the title of a city council request from the ÖDP. In his answer, Reiter clarifies how his categorically formulated sentence is to be understood: The city itself has no economic relations with Russia. He is also committed to ensuring that municipal companies stop their contacts as soon as possible. In his reply to Klitschko, he “attempted to present this in a meaningful way,” writes Reiter.
The Munich subsidiary had planned Bauma in Moscow for the end of May. The exhibition should actually take place there, according to trade fair spokeswoman Carola Hesse, but under the name CTT Expo. Messe München sold Bauma to a Russian company founded by the previous Russian managing director of the Munich subsidiary. According to Hesse, the activities of the Munich company are not yet completely finished, but the process of shutting down is underway. According to Mayor Reiter, the shareholders of the fair decided to withdraw from the Russian business in mid-March.