The European Central Bank (ECB) yesterday inaugurated its new premises on the site of the Grossmarkthalle – Frankfurt’s former wholesale market hall – alongside regular meetings of the Governing Council and General Council. “This building is a symbol of the best of what Europe can achieve together,” said ECB President Mario Draghi. Some activists in the streets of Frankfurt clearly did not agree with Draghi.
“Many people have worked tirelessly to make this building a reality” . The building complex includes a high-rise, which houses the majority of workplaces, the entrance building integrated into the former market hall and various ancillary buildings. Mr Draghi also said, “It is a landmark for the city of Frankfurt. And it provides the ECB with an impressive new home to pursue its mandate.”
After the welcome address by the President, speeches were given by Tarek Al-Wazir, Deputy Minister President of the State of Hesse, and Peter Feldmann, Lord Mayor of the City of Frankfurt am Main. Members of the Executive Board, the Governing Council and the General Council of the ECB, and of the Supervisory Board of the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM), as well as former ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet, former members of the Executive Board Jörg Asmussen, Lorenzo Bini Smaghi, Lucas Papademos and Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell looked on as ECB President cut the ribbon in the Grossmarkthalle.
The ceremony was also attended by Wolf Prix, CEO of Vienna-based architects office COOP HIMMELB(L)AU, Salomon Korn, Head of the Jewish Community Frankfurt, Konrad Elsässer, representative of the Elsaesser family, Petra Roth, former Lord Mayor of the City of Frankfurt, Olaf Cunitz, Head of Urban Planning Department and Mayor of the City of Frankfurt, and Friedrich von Metzler, Honorary Citizen of the City of Frankfurt.
Some 350 people have been arrested as anti-austerity demonstrators clashed with police. A spokesman for the demonstrators said that the troika was responsible for austerity measures which have pushed many into poverty.
