Before the G7 summit: GAP mayor defends herself against allegations from the BR program – "Definitely not true"

Created: 06/24/2022, 16:03

By: Michelle Brey

Elisabeth Koch, Mayor of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, pointed out the immense restrictions in the city shortly before the G7 summit.

(Archive image) © Angelika Warmuth/dpa

The G7 summit was met with criticism in Garmisch-Partenkirchen - including from the mayor.

She spoke out two days before the politicians arrived at Schloss Elmau.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen - The G7 summit begins on Sunday (June 26).

The heads of state and government of the seven most important industrial countries meet at Schloss Elmau.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Joe Biden (USA), Emmanuel Macron (France) and Co. will discuss global and political issues together.

The security measures before the G7 summit in Elmau are immense.

For example, the area around Elmau is hermetically sealed off, and the place is full of police who rented a number of huts around the castle.

Some residents are frustrated.

Aircraft noise from helicopters, closures and more make some people in Garmisch complain about the summit meeting.

Now Elisabeth Koch (CSU), mayor of the city, expressed criticism - although she also put it into perspective.

G7 summit 2022 in Elmau: "Restrictions are immense"

The burdens on citizens from the G7 summit are currently (June 24) "close to the tolerance limit," Koch told the German Press Agency (dpa).

The mayor also found clear words in an interview with the radio station Bayern 2: “We did not apply for the summit.

She added: "We have to deal with it as pragmatically as possible and yes, the restrictions are immense," said Koch.

Shortly thereafter, the mayor of Garmisch-Partenkirchen put it into perspective on the radio that the whole thing had to be looked at from a different angle.

In the course of this, she spoke to the police officers: “They also serve our security.

One must never forget that.

That's why I'm also grateful that the security is shown to us.” In total, almost 18,000 officials are deployed around the G7 summit at Schloss Elmau.

Koch also told the dpa in relation to the local restrictions: "Now we have to make the best of it and simply remain pragmatic." In a week the "spook will be over".

Weeks ago, the mayor emphasized that the meeting was more important than ever in view of the Ukraine war.

G7 summit 2022: Restrictions in Garmisch-Partenkirchen - "No more parking spaces in the whole place"

In a conversation with Bayern 2, Koch reacted, among other things, to the criticism surrounding the G7 summit, which had been made in the BR format “Now red i”.

"Almost all sports facilities" are closed, said an angry citizen.

Nowhere can children practice their sport, gyms are occupied "and so on".

"We have not closed a single sports field - except in the ski stadium, where the police and the judiciary are located," Koch clarified.

In addition, only one sports hall in a secondary school was closed due to the G7 summit.

The statement in "Now red i" is "definitely not", she added.

Nevertheless, in an interview with Bayern 2, she pointed out restrictions in the city.

In Garmisch-Partenkirchen, for example, there are no longer any parking spaces and all free spaces had to be made available for protest rallies.

This includes a protest camp by the “Stop G7 Elmau” alliance in Garmisch an der Loisach.

Around 750 people can camp there.

G7 summit in Elmau: The history of the protests against globalization

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But the effects of the G7 summit can be felt far beyond Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Because the day before the summit meeting, a large demo is planned in Munich.

The police expect up to 20,000 demonstrators - in good weather even more.