Local residents worried

Transit area empty! Sinti & Roma now camp here

Residents in Traun are concerned about their new temporary neighbors: almost 20 caravans are parked near the stadium.

(Bild: Dostal Harald)

When the transit site in Pichling used to be full to bursting in the peak summer season, groups of Sinti and Roma would seek out new locations in the surrounding area. Now suddenly 20 caravans are camping in Traun - even though there is not a single caravan on the B 1.  

Strange! In previous years, the transit area for Sinti and Roma on the B 1 in Pichling has always been a hive of activity at the beginning of July. This year is different: during the "Krone" local inspection on Friday morning, not a single camper or caravan could be seen far and wide. The area is deserted, waiting for the next passers-by. According to local residents, the last visitors left around a week and a half ago. Before that, the site had always been busy since 13 January. The fact that things are unusually quiet at the moment could possibly also have something to do with the fact that - as reported - the financial police recently investigated the area.

Unusually for the beginning of July, the Sinti & Roma transit area in Pichling is completely deserted.

(Bild: Dostal Harald)

Set up at the stadium in Traun
Instead, a group of almost 20 caravans unexpectedly turned up at the stadium in Traun at the beginning of this week. When VP Mayor Karl-Heinz Koll was informed of this, he immediately sent someone there. "But for whatever reason, these people only wanted to talk to me," says Koll, who then set off.

Group has posted bail 
"We had a good conversation. First of all: these are different people to the ones who come to us in Traun once a year. The people were friendly and spoke very good German. They want to leave again in a week's time on Monday," explains the mayor. What speaks for the group: according to Koll, a deposit was paid and waste disposal, water and electricity are paid for separately. The only hope now is that, as is unfortunately always the case in Pichling, no washing machine suds will be drained into the ground.

I had a good, very open conversation with these people. They had actually planned to stay for three weeks, but we agreed on two.

Karl-Heinz Koll, Trauner VP-Bürgermeister

"We have no power, we are obliged"
According to the head of Traun, residents' concerns that this could happen with faeces from the caravan toilet tanks are justified, but Koll is reassuring: "We are still clarifying this." When asked why he allows the whole thing to happen at all, he says: "We don't have any power, we are obliged to do so."