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Outgoing District Administrator Kärger looks back on an eventful term in office!
Heiko Kärger ends his term as district administrator of the Mecklenburg Lake District on October 10th and looks back on his successes and challenges while focusing on regional issues and digital administration.
Outgoing District Administrator Kärger looks back on an eventful term in office!
On October 10, 2025, Heiko Kärger, the district administrator of the Mecklenburg Lake District, will retire after years of commitment and numerous challenges. From this date, the 62-year-old plans to take more care of his house and garden, spend more time with his four granddaughters and pursue his passion for hunting. In a final interview, he discusses his experiences, which involved a lot of hard office work and negotiations, and also comments on the countless issues that have occupied him during his time in office. As the SVZ Reportedly, there was a lot of criticism of him, which he dismissed as unfounded. Despite health problems, Kärger believes he is in good shape.
The district continues to face financial constraints. Despite a reduced deficit of 90 million euros, the budget remains in deficit. Kärger highlights the preservation of the district hospital in Demmin and the support of cultural institutions as positive developments. Nevertheless, local public transport, and especially the on-call bus problem, remains a major unsolved mystery. The Ilse bus, which operates throughout the district, has to contend with bureaucratic hurdles that prevent the service from being expanded beyond the district borders. Loud NDR In the Vorpommern-Greifswald district, the on-call bus often ends at the district border, which limits mobility for people without a car.
Administrative digitalization as a challenge
The focus is also on the digitalization of administration, which, according to a report egovernment.de brings massive problems. Inefficiencies, excessive bureaucracy and a culture of fear not only make digitization difficult, but also the general efficiency of administrative processes. It is emphasized that administrative activities account for over 30 percent of the total effort in projects. Kärger has repeatedly pointed out the need to break down these structures and advance digital transformation.
Another major issue during his term in office was crisis management measures, especially during the wave of refugees and the corona pandemic. Kärger has had to deal with structural problems in integration for which, in retrospect, he sees no comprehensive solutions. He reports that feedback to the Prime Minister in Schwerin had little influence on the situation. The increased importance of the AfD in the district council and the resulting dissatisfaction among citizens are also topics that he addresses in his review.
Finally, Kärger wishes his successor Thomas Müller a good hand in further shaping the district's guidelines. Citizens should be proud of their region and actively participate in local politics. The region could use such committed voices as challenges remain.