Martina Berthold:

“State government works against people and nature”

The amendment is intended to speed up the procedures for renewable energies.(Bild: Leitner Tom)

(Bild: Tröster Andreas)

Sharp criticism of the new nature conservation law in Salzburg. Green Party leader Berthold sees the energy transition as just a pretext.

The Salzburg state government, consisting of the People's Party and the Freedom Party, has introduced an amendment to the Nature Conservation Act. Once it has been reviewed, it should be passed next fall. Sharp criticism comes from Martina Berthold (Greens). "It weakens nature conservation and the agendas of the Provincial Environmental Ombudswoman," says the politician. For her, it is clear that the construction lobby will benefit from this.

Martina Berthold is not sparing with her criticism of the ÖVP-FPÖ.(Bild: Tröster Andreas)

Berthold sees the fact that projects such as wind turbines can be implemented more quickly in future as nothing more than a pretext. The government is not working for the energy transition but against people and nature. She is particularly offended by the fact that rough pastures, which are so important for insects, are to be sacrificed. "Marlene Svazek is already hunting butterflies and wild bees."

Svazek (FPÖ), the provincial vice-president and nature conservation officer, does not want to let this accusation stand. It is only about a few disputed areas, but above all about legal certainty for those affected. The same applies when it comes to biotopes in building land. "Dedicated building land is building land. We make that clear," says Svazek. There are currently 75 hectares of building land in Salzburg. "We no longer have many opportunities to get new land," says the leader of the Freedom Party.