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Is the IKIG Already a Done Deal? Citizen Dialogue Without Real Participation?On October 21, 2024, District Administrator Götz Ulrich reported to the district council on the current status of the planned Intermunicipal Industrial Area (IKIG), which is intended to bring jobs and economic impulses to the Burgenlandkreis as part of structural change. He praised the information events and citizen dialogues that have already taken place. However, while Ulrich praised the dialogue, essential objections and suggestions from citizens remain unaddressed. ![]() Above all, the question of whether and how alternatives to the planned site are being examined seems to play little role. This reinforces the impression that the IKIG is already being presented as a fixed project, while genuine participation appears rather superficial. Lack of Consideration of Alternatives: Citizens' Suggestions Left OutOne of the main criticisms from many citizens is the neglect of alternative locations. The former open-pit mining area near Hohenmölsen/Profen has been suggested repeatedly. These areas, already burdened by mining, could offer a solution that preserves valuable farmland and maintains nature in its current state. Andreas Krieg, an engaged critic of the IKIG, presented this proposal at a demonstration in Teuchern and pointed out the advantages: The area is sufficiently large, nature there is already heavily damaged, and investments in transport connections to the A38 and A9 motorways could make it economically attractive. A rail connection exists via the current coal railway. This was not mentioned in the district administrator’s report to the council, nor were the many hundreds of signatures collected against the IKIG.One would expect a genuine citizen dialogue to at least include alternatives in a feasibility study. But so far, it appears unchecked whether and how the Hohenmölsen/Profen site or other options might even be better and more cost-effective. This gives the impression that the citizen dialogue mainly serves to present the IKIG as an unavoidable project and to promote acceptance of the current plan. The sealing of valuable farmland is hardly addressed, although it is a central concern of the population. Especially when it comes to climate and environmental protection, sealing good farmland would be exactly the opposite of the big goal. Warnings persist that with continuing global warming, agricultural yields will decrease. How can one then approve permanently taking farmland out of food production? Is the IKIG Already a Done Deal? Doubts About Genuine Co-DeterminationThe fact that the district administrator did not mention the protests and numerous signatures against the IKIG in the council raises doubts about the openness of the project. A genuine citizen dialogue would not only collect citizens’ opinions but also seriously examine their proposals and at least consider alternative options as planning approaches. Instead, many residents and critics see the information events as one-sided and the exchange as merely a means to gain acceptance. Also, the fact that other site proposals have not yet been officially examined raises fears that the IKIG will ultimately be put to a vote without alternatives in the city and municipal councils. They could be pressured to approve the project if the structural change funds are only tied to implementing an IKIG at this location.Neglected Risks and the Demand for Genuine Citizen ParticipationThe missed integration of alternatives is also evident in the economic risks the project entails. Financial commitments within the framework of structural change may not be reliable. Should the IKIG be stopped halfway, the municipalities could be left with high costs—a burden that could be devastating for the region. Therefore, the question arises why the planning is not designed flexibly enough to be implemented on other already damaged areas like the open-pit mining site in case of emergency.Given the partly drastic changes the IKIG would bring, more co-determination and transparency are needed. If the citizen dialogue is serious, the population’s proposals should not only be heard but also seriously examined and integrated into the planning. Alternative solutions like the former open-pit mining area could at least play a role as feasible options and be discussed jointly with citizens. The idea that public opinion is being “trimmed” for approval without real choice casts doubt on the transparency of the entire undertaking. Citizen Dialogue Needs Real Alternatives and TransparencyThe intermunicipal industrial area in Burgenlandkreis remains controversial—not only because of the possible sealing of valuable farmland but also because citizens apparently lack real participation. A genuine dialogue would address all arguments and seriously include alternatives in the planning. The current course, however, appears as confirmation of the IKIG as a fixed project to which city and municipal council members should merely consent. Genuine citizen participation means that alternatives also flow into feasibility studies and are openly discussed. Such a far-reaching project should be based on transparency and co-determination—especially when it comes to making a sustainable and future-proof decision for the region.Further Criticism and PetitionFurther criticism has been summarized by the citizens’ initiative “No Land for the IKIG” in this video.The petition at https://weact.campact.de has been signed by nearly 1,800 people as of October 25, 2024. Author: AI-Translation - Simone Richter | 25.10.2024 |
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