"Lack of information"

Long-distance pass tunnel: A sleeping giant?

People also took to the streets in Tarrenz on Saturday. Citizens fear that the Fernpass tunnel will bring even more traffic.

(Bild: BI Gurgltal)

In Nassereith in Tyrol, things have become suspiciously quiet regarding the Fernpass tunnel after the referendum in July, but in Biberwier it could be back to square one.

Democracy seems to be under scrutiny worldwide at the moment - certainly in the small world at the foot of the Fernpass. In a referendum on July 21, the people of Nassereither showed the red light to the Fernpass tunnel planned by the state of Tyrol by an overwhelming majority. The aim was to persuade the local council to say no to the sale of properties or easements required by the province. However, a resolution was awaited in vain at the eagerly awaited September meeting. The citizens' vote was merely discussed, as provided for in the Tyrolean municipal code. That too is democracy.

The Fernpass bone of contention: if the tunnel and the associated toll are built, it will not be possible to pass the Fernpass without paying a toll.

(Bild: Daum Hubert/DAUM Hubert)

"No information on the status of negotiations"
"There is no official request from the state for a land purchase, which is why a decision is not possible," says BM Herbert Kröll, an avowed tunnel supporter, explaining the reluctance. "Of course, a decision in principle would be possible again, just as it was against the sale of land for the toll station," criticizes Armin Gadner from the citizens' initiative. In general, the village parliament seems to be sparing with information about the project. Martin Sterzinger from the opposition list: "We are not getting any information on the status of the negotiations with the state."

The state of Tyrol has not yet submitted an application to purchase the land, which is why there can be no decision.

Herbert Kröll, BM von Nassereith

There is no result yet, says Kröll, and this should then be announced to the committee by the state representatives themselves. The office of the responsible provincial governor Josef Geisler is noncommittal: "The province of Tyrol is in close and good contact with the municipality of Nassereith. The next steps in the road approval process are currently being finalized."

Supervisory complaint against the village chief
The opposition mandataries also complain about a lack of information on the other side of the Fernpass. In Biberwier, where the sale of the land for the tunnel was already decided in July by a vote of 6:5, the ZUG list filed a supervisory complaint with the Reutte district administration against Harald Schönherr. Philipp Taxer's team identified a serious discrepancy between the content of the decisive meeting and the minutes. These had been objected to immediately, but no correction had been made. In addition, important documents were missing in the run-up to the resolution and have still not been submitted. So in Biberwier, it could soon be back to the start.

Meanwhile, critics of the Fernpass package took to the streets in Tarrenz on Saturday with banners. They fear being overrun by traffic.