Ambiguity in Kramsach

Political wrangling over alleged illegal construction

The opposition senses mistakes in the extension work at the Haflingerhof in Kramsach.(Bild: zVg)

The Tyrolean municipality of Kramsach is in a real mess. Building permits are missing from the deputy mayor's yard, the opposition criticizes. The accused rejects the accusations and clarifies the situation.

The Haflingerhof farm on Lake Reintal in Kramsach has come under fire from the local opposition. It suspects illegal construction: specifically, a carport and the roofing of a manure area. "The first pillars are already in place. But there is no dedication for them yet. A wall was already in place for the foundations of the carport before the building negotiations," explains opposition leader Manfred Lechner. According to the criticism, not everything went according to plan for both buildings.

We made enclosures. These were all things that I first clarified with the legal department and the farmers' association.

Markus Vögele, Vize-BM Kramsach

Lechner brought the issue to the public because the builder is no stranger to Kramsach: Deputy Mayor Markus Vögele. In an email to the mayor, Lechner pointed out the grievance and also "let Vögele read along and kept him informed."

Deputy rejects accusations and plays ball back
When asked by the "Krone", the accused denied all accusations and clarified: "I have to contradict that. It's not about a carport, but about a fence that was taken down and five posts put up instead. We have made enclosures. These were all things that I first clarified with the legal department and the farmers' association." He had already enquired about this in advance, only laid 200 square meters of ground on his farm and finally made fences around 30 centimetres deep. As long as it was in line with local custom, he could do it.

The opposition takes care of things that shouldn't be taken care of.

Markus Vögele, Vize-BM Kramsach

The carport, as he is accused of, is not there. The dung he is accused of by his opponents lies with the municipality - it will soon be handed over to regional planning. At the same time, Vögele counters his critics and fires back: "The opposition takes care of things that shouldn't be taken care of. Now the former list of mayors is offended because they were voted out."

Somewhere there are boundaries and rules of the game that you have to abide by. And as a public official, twice over. Everyone else in Kramsach has to play by the rules too.

Manfred Lechner, Oppositionsführer

Building problems dampen joy over growing business
In an interview with the "Krone" newspaper, Lechner emphasized that he has nothing against the construction work itself. On the contrary - he is pleased about a flourishing business in the municipality and had also supported a different dedication at the Haflingerhof. He was only annoyed that the deputy mayor was not adhering to the regulations: "There are limits and rules somewhere that you have to abide by. And as a public official twice over. We are there to keep an eye on them. Everyone else in Kramsach must also abide by the rules."