Concerning Salzburg

Jet set politics

(Bild: Krone KREATIV, Julia Hürner)

A commentary by "Salzburg-Krone" editor-in-chief Claus Pándi.

The simple victim of traffic jams is amazed: Transport Minister Stefan Schnöll, also known as the "Crown Prince", has come up with a grandiose topic: the resumption of the flight connection from Salzburg to Vienna. The two and a half hours by train are obviously an imposition for people who take themselves too seriously.

Since public transport and car journeys in Salzburg are not only getting worse rather than better, Schnöll's spirited campaign for flight routes over Salzburg could even be extended.

Perhaps jets could be introduced for commuters from Zell am See or from the Alpine airport in Mauterndorf to the city of Salzburg? And even concrete several airports right across the country?

And since the partly underground railroad project in the city, known as the "Schnöllbahn", has been dragging on for ages, perhaps an alternative would be to fly from the main railway station to Mirabellplatz? Or jet to Perner Island so that the people of Hallein no longer have to rely on buses and trains?

Seriously now: it's understandable that the ÖVP wants to take revenge for the Greens' disgraceful action in Brussels. But they would be well advised to set the right priorities instead of pursuing jet-set politics. In other words, to put intellectual energy into intelligent traffic planning, to invest money in trains, buses and better road connections. So that not everyone in Salzburg will soon be dependent on their own plane.