After amendment to the law

Gols hospital: opponents want to go to the Supreme Court

Controversial: The new hospital is to be built on the Gols meadows.

(Bild: Charlotte Titz)

The environmental organization "Pro Thayatal" and the citizens' initiative are taking further action against the planned hospital site in the district of Neusiedl am See. The EU Commission is to be informed about possible violations of EU law. At the same time, they also want to appeal to the Constitutional Court.

Governor Hans Peter Doskozil (SPÖ) had reportedly announced a "liberating blow" for the hospital project the previous week. An amendment to the law should speed up construction on the Gols meadows. But the project opponents are not giving up so easily: According to lawyer Wolfgang List, who represents "Pro Thayatal" and the citizens' initiative, the EU Commission will be informed of this in the coming days, as the change in the law would be a clear violation of Union law as well as national legislation. The location for the planned hospital is in the middle of the Natura 2000 area. The EU's Fauna-Flora-Habitat Directive could not simply be circumvented.

The amendment to the law threatens new legal problems and a massive delay in hospital construction.

Rechtsanwalt Wolfgang List

List announced that the "hasty legislation" would also be challenged at the Constitutional Court. As a result of the amendment, it is no longer the municipality of Gols but the state that is responsible for zoning. The lawyer now expects that the previous zoning act will be withdrawn. Pro Thayatal has lodged an objection against it. List then wants to demand that the new decision be served by the state and subsequently take the matter to the Supreme Court, for example on the grounds of inequality. He therefore also doubts that the change in the law will lead to a massive acceleration in hospital construction.

Lawyer refers to helicopter landing pad
Another argument against the planned site would be that no helipad was approved in the immediate vicinity in Zurndorf due to nature conservation concerns. "So why should a hospital be built there when not even rescue helicopters will probably be able to land?" asks List. Frauenkirchen is currently being considered as a new base for the emergency helicopter.

Provincial SPÖ remains calm
SPÖ party chairman Roland Fürst emphasized that the legal steps announced by the Lower Austrian NGO are "very calm, because we are convinced of the Gols location". A "very high percentage" of the population, who are ultimately affected in Burgenland, would also support the hospital.