The reception of 57 refugees in the town of Gmunden from February has now been confirmed. ÖVP city boss Stefan Krapf feels betrayed by the federal and state governments, Neos municipal councilor Philipp Wiatschka speaks of worrying conditions in one of the neighbourhoods.
Thick air at the Traunsee! In Gmunden, 25 refugees from Syria will be accommodated in an empty house on the Hochkogel from next week. And another 32 asylum weavers will move into the Pension Neuwirth on Traunsteinstrasse, which has been empty for years. The city learned of the state and federal plans at very short notice.
There is a surprise in the town hall: “The city has no influence on decisions at the federal and state level. I want to make it clear that both districts are completely unsuitable logistically and that is why I cannot understand the decision,” grumbles ÖVP mayor Stefan Krapf.
The scheduled departures in Pension Neuwirth do not have public transport. The nearest supermarket is miles away. The Hochkogel is a residential area with single-family homes. “That doesn’t fit,” says Krapf.
SP is also disappointed
SP integration spokesman Mario Krammer is also disappointed: “The fact that the state and the federal government dictate decisions and do not involve us as a community is counterproductive.” Facts are made’, said group leader Dina Fritz.
For Neos City Councilor Philipp Wiatschka, the rapid creation of a catalog of measures is a top priority: “So that integration is facilitated and public safety is guaranteed.”
House in a desolate state
The structural condition of the asylum seekers’ centers worries him: “Small neighborhoods are always better than mass shelters, but they must be suitable. The Pension Neuwirth has been uninhabited for more than ten years. The building is said to have serious structural and hygienic shortcomings. This can vary from inadequate fire protection to inadequate heating to defects in the supply and waste water. Until these questions are clarified, use as a refugee accommodation cannot be advocated.”
Greens are confident
Accommodation in small quarters rather than mass quarters or even temporary tents is the right decision for the Greens. “With the two districts, the city makes its necessary contribution to decent housing for refugees in Austria,” says deputy mayor Ulrike Feichtinger.
“Welcome to Gmunden” also helps
She thinks it is positive that the social platform ‘Welcome to Gmunden’ is being integrated again. “In 2015 she impressively showed how integration can be successful. So I look to the future with confidence, because the city is determined to support integration in every way possible.
Source: Krone
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