As quickly as they came, they left again: the Roma group that had taken over a model airfield south of Graz left on Wednesday evening. However, the state government now wants to examine stricter rules for such cases.
On Tuesday morning, the waves rose when representatives of politics and the media wanted to get a picture of the Roma caravan camp. They set up shop on Monday in the premises of a model aircraft club in Dobl-Zwaring – without the permission of the owner and the club.
“Fence is slightly damaged”
It was then agreed that they would move on again on Friday. But it must have become too hot for the wandering people: they moved on on Wednesday evening. Representatives of the Roma and Sinti, however, are still camping in the neighbouring community of Lieboch. “Fortunately, there is no damage to the clubhouse. The fence was slightly damaged and a few garbage bags were left behind,” said a club spokesman with a sigh of relief.
Communities need support
But questions remain. “We as a municipality have no control,” complained mayor Waltraud Walch. Her colleague Stefan Helmreich from the neighboring municipality of Lieboch also reported similar incidents and the same powerlessness. Because against the wandering people one can only take civil action with a lawsuit for property interference. But it takes far too long before a legal decision is made.
So do we need stricter rules that can be applied more quickly? There is broad political agreement on this. The FPÖ is referring to Lower Austria, where the Freedom Party forms a coalition with the ÖVP: last autumn, the possibility was created there to impose a ban on camping outside explicitly designated areas. This would give communities a way to combat wild camping, especially by caravan groups.
Styria looks to Lower Austria
The state government of Styria now also wants to respond: it is already prohibited and punishable to seize private property. However, there is a need for “faster and better enforcement of such serious violations without criminalizing the campsites accepted by property owners,” according to Governor Christopher Drexler (ÖVP) and Deputy Anton Lang (SPÖ).
What is desired is a clear and feasible action by communities against such circumstances. An audit was commissioned. “Existing standards in other states and the experiences with them are certainly an important indication for this”, if you want to look at the Lower Austrian model.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
