Resistance in Wörgl

“Surveillance plans completely overstepping the mark”

This video camera enables 360-degree surveillance.(Bild: Stadtmarketing Wörgl)

Wörgl mayor Michael Riedhart gave the go-ahead for massive video surveillance in the town center: After sceptical statements from state police chief Helmut Tomac and district governor Christoph Platzgummer, Liste Fritz is now calling for his resignation. 

Liste Fritz district spokesperson in Kufstein and GR Gabi Madersbacher paints a gloomy picture after two years of "Riedhart's autocratic rule in Wörgl".

"His many high-handed decisions in the style of Orban were already borderline, but now Riedhart has taken the cake, he's overstepped the mark. Under the pretext of ensuring greater security, he has given the go-ahead for massive video surveillance in the city center. For me, this is completely unacceptable and cannot be justified by anything!" says Madersbacher.

"LH Mattle must intervene!"
In this context, she also accuses Riedhart of having misinformed the municipal council. According to Riedhart, "everything had been clarified in terms of data protection law". But now, as reported, provincial police chief Helmut Tomac has instructed his lawyers to inform the data protection authority in Vienna about the events in Wörgl.

Madersbacher believes that the worst is over and calls for Riedhart's resignation. Governor Anton Mattle must put the "mini-Orban" in his place.

VP: Examination of admissibility is the sole responsibility of the competent authorities
VP member of the Lower Provincial Parliament Sebastian Kolland describes the attacks by Liste Fritz representative Gabriele Madersbacher on Wörgl mayor Michael Riedhart as an "unnecessary and completely exaggerated pre-election campaign". "Safety is an important issue for the people in our towns and communities. It is therefore right and welcome that political representatives at municipal level are also thinking about how this can be improved. It is the sole responsibility of the relevant authorities to check whether the video surveillance installed in Wörgl is legally permissible. Populist cries from the Fritz list, which is obviously already in a premature pre-election campaign in Wörgl, are completely unnecessary and out of place here," says Kolland.