As of: February 13, 2024, 8:45 a.m
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The citizens' initiative team Michael Kümpfbeck, Stefan Geisser and Andreas Stumptner sees the 1,800 signatures as a clear mandate to continue pursuing the goals of the citizens' initiative.
© Stephan Goerlich
Approval of the citizens' initiative would be a clear sign of democracy
Markt Schwaben -
The statements regarding the “planned asylum collective accommodation” in the Ziegelstadel/Burgerfeld residential area have, after the first communication from the citizens’ initiative “Burgerfeld becomes Bürgerfeld” and the subsequent criticism from the refugee helper association “Side by Side e.
V.” once again prompted the citizens’ initiative to respond to their letter.
Now their current statement goes to the local council.
In it, BI chairman Michael Kümpfbeck writes: “We do not share the municipal legal supervision’s view that the citizens’ petition is inadmissible.
The vote of more than 1,800 citizens from the entire market town is clear.
They deliberately signed because they reject a large collective accommodation for 120 refugees in the middle of the residential area.
We encourage the market town council to now send a clear signal for democracy and to adopt the citizens’ initiative.”
Kümpfbeck also writes: “The local council resolution of January 18th stands.
The location at Ziegelstadel/Burgerfeld was rejected by the committee and the search for a suitable alternative location was approved.
We support the local council decision and want refugees who come to Markt Schwaben to be able to integrate well and quickly.
This is doomed to failure in collective accommodation.
Despite attempts at intimidation by higher-level authorities, local politicians have all the tools at their disposal, even without a referendum, to actively seek solutions that enjoy a high level of acceptance among the entire population, taking into account the interests of local residents and refugee aid.”
Citizens' initiative co-initiator Stefan Geisser appeals to the local council and administration: “The municipality's building planning sovereignty is a valuable asset.
Councils and the mayor should be aware of this.
The market town council can decide to initiate the development planning process despite the opinion of the legal supervisory authority regarding the citizens’ request.”
Andreas Stumptner, the third member of the citizens' initiative committee, draws a link to Berlin: “Current federal policy leads to frustration and drives many citizens to right-wing extremist parties.
The local level must not continue to make the same mistakes.
Not involving citizens in such important decisions as the location of asylum accommodation and making politics against your own voters poses a great danger to democracy.”
Stumpter also takes District Administrator Robert Niedergesäß to task, who recently demonstrated in Baldham that it is possible to reject an obviously wrong location.
He calls on Niedergesäß to “finally do this for Markt Schwaben too.” fu