As the only party in the state parliament, the Greens are clearly against the expansion of the Europark. But even in the eco-party, not everyone is convinced of the strict blockade. A prominent Green, Johann Padutsch, now speaks in the “Krone” for the expansion of the Europark.
The planned expansion of Europark and the Greens’ blockade remain a topic of conversation. With customers, business people, but also in the Chiemseehof. With the exception of the Greens, all parties are in favor of the expansion. And among the Greens, a prominent voice with a dissenting opinion is now making people sit up and take notice.
That of ex-citizen lists boss and city councilor Johann Padutsch. “I do not think that there is a migration of customers from the town centers to the Europark,” says Padutsch. That is why he supports the expansion plans of Europark owner Spar.
Padutsch also considers the reduction in the expansion from 14,000 to 8,500 square meters sought by ÖVP and Neos to be wrong. “Spar’s original plans included exactly this sales area with an additional 14,000 square meters,” recalls Padutsch, who left politics after the 2019 municipal council elections. The country reduced the area back then, around 20 years ago.
Citizen list puts down a swing of opinion
But Padutsch is convinced that the 14,000 square meters are also acceptable from a green point of view. No additional sealing is planned. “It’s about converting storage areas and parking spaces into sales areas. This would not create new business, ”he says.
For Padutsch, it is not an argument that many Greens would prefer customers to shop at the local grocery store. “There are a large number of people who want to go shopping in a mall. You have to accept that, ”he says.
Incidentally, Padutsch also “deposited his criticism with my green friends in the state parliament”. Was there a reaction to it? “Not really.” The city’s citizens’ list is now on the side of the state’s green party. “From our point of view, the expansion is currently counterproductive,” says club boss Ingeborg Haller.