© dpa
In 2025, a number of changes will come into force that will affect the citizens of the capital.
Among other things, there will be gun ban zones, and there will also be changes to citizens' offices, local transport tickets and property tax in 2025.
Gun and knife ban zones are to be permanently established at Görlitzer Park, Kottbusser Tor and Leopoldplatz - all crime hotspots. From 15 February, it will be forbidden to carry weapons and knives of any kind within the zone. This also applies to classic firearms, alarm weapons, irritant weapons and signal weapons - even if the owners have a small firearms licence. The ban also applies comprehensively to knives, regardless of the length of the blade.
In order to save costs of up to 300 million euros, the 29-euro ticket is being discontinued. The 29-euro ticket was an annual subscription for the AB area - those who currently have one only have to pay this price until the end of the minimum term of their contract. According to BVG, the difference in price compared to a Deutschlandticket will be credited monthly by the state of Berlin via the transport companies.
The so-called Berlin-Ticket S for people with little money will be more expensive from 1 April. It will then cost 19 instead of 9 euros. The price increase is part of the Senate's budget restructuring programme. Until the end of 2022, the price was 27.50 euros and was then reduced to 9 euros.
Berlin is getting a competence centre for civil protection and disaster management (KBK). With its establishment on 1 January, the KBK will take on operational and strategic tasks such as the coordination of crisis management and support civil protection authorities.
The collection of rubbish by BSR will be slightly more expensive. However, according to BSR, the regular adjustments to the fees for street cleaning and waste collection will be moderate. Overall, the fees will rise by 4.9 per cent from 1 January. This is an average of well under two euros per household per month.
Passport photos for passports and ID cards can only be taken on site at the Citizens' Registration Office from May. Photos taken on paper can then no longer be used. This does not apply to biometric photos taken by photographers who have access to transmit the photos electronically to the citizens' registration offices. Cameras will be set up in the citizens' offices for passport photos. The change affects all passport and ID card processes.
From January, the property tax reform will take effect for property owners. In Berlin, the so-called assessment rate will be significantly reduced from 2025, from 810 to 470 per cent. In future, Berliners will generally not have to pay significantly more property tax than before. However, in individual cases where very little property tax has been levied to date, the tax amount may increase significantly.