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SP� Burgenland rejects criticism of referendum plans

By Thomas Hochwarter

Burgenland Social Democrats (SP�) have dismissed criticism of a planned referendum over the construction of a new asylum seekers� centre.

Provincial party manager Robert Hergovich said today (Weds): "Postponing the referendum would be an undemocratic act and an insult to the Burgenland people."

The governing Burgenland SP� was attacked by the province�s Greens yesterday after SP� governor Hans Niessl announced the citizens of the southern districts of Jennersdorf, G�ssing and Oberwart would be questioned on federal Interior Ministry plans to build an asylum seekers� centre in Eberau, a town of 1,000 close to the Hungarian border.

All parties represented in the Burgenland parliament except the Greens � the governing SP� and People�s Party (�VP) as well as right-wing opposition Freedom Party (FP�) � oppose the project which was presented by �VP Interior Minister Maria Fekter recently.

Niessl criticised Fekter for not keeping him or federal coalition partners SP� informed, while Burgenland Greens chief Grete Krojer accused the governor of "stirring up" people over the issue.

SP� Burgenland manager Hergovich said today the provincial government would regard the referendum�s result as "compulsive".

Niessl said last week the referendum would be held in March if the provincial government agreed on the date in its first meeting next month. This would mean the referendum would take place just weeks before an expected date for a provincial election in which the SP� Burgenland has to defend its majority.

Interior Minister Fekter stressed she would "certainly not back down" on the issue. Fekter can be sure of the support of Lower Austria�s �VP governor Erwin Pr�ll who appealed to the Burgenland government to agree to the plans of a new centre.

Pr�ll said the asylum seekers� centre in Traiskirchen, Lower Austria, needed support.

"Lower Austria cannot be Austria�s pack donkey any longer (in this issue) after 53 years," he said.

Burgenland�s Greens suggested all nine Austrian provinces could take up an equal number of asylum seekers. They have also appealed to rival parties to avoid the issue in the upcoming election campaign.

SP� Burgenland manager Hergovich meanwhile criticised the FP� Burgenland for announcing a demonstration in Eberau.

"No problem will be solved this way. This will only mean more people will be unsettled," he said.

Hergovich said Burgenland needed no "hate preachers" such as FP� federal chief Heinz-Christian Strache.

Eberau�s �VP Mayor Walter Strobl meanwhile revealed some residents of the town refused to shake his hand after plans for the centre were revealed.

Strobl argued he wanted to stop the town "dying out" with the project.

"Everyone leaves after graduating," he explained, adding that the construction of the centre would give the region�s weak economy a boost.

Strobl said around 130 new jobs would be created by the asylum seekers� centre which would be the third in Austria after one in Thalham, Upper Austria, and a larger centre in Traiskirchen, Lower Austria.

�VP Interior Minister Maria Fekter argued construction of the centre in Eberau would make the region safer instead of more insecure as critics of the project have claimed.

Fekter said Eberau would get its own police station while other security measures would be upped as well in G�ssing district.

The project is however currently on hold after G�ssing authorities rejected the ministry�s construction application for the centre. Officials claimed it did not match the area zoning plan of the site in Eberau.

And it emerged today that the centre might eventually be built in the southern province of Carinthia and not in eastern Burgenland.

Josef Leitner, deputy leader of the SP� in Lower Austria, told the Kurier newspaper: "Austria pays to ensure Carinthia is rescued and expects Carinthia to take responsibility in the asylum seekers� issue."

Leitner was referring to the recent nationalisation of the Hypo Group Alpe Adria (HGAA) bank as well as to news that the southern province was financially struggling after years of mismanagement.

Austrian Times

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Eberau Austria governor Niessl criticism construction Fekter government Leitner Ministry Hergovich southern Carinthia referendum asylum Strobl seekers Burgenland Greens ssing

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