Book author claims:

“75 years of abuse of authority in Tyrolean agrarian issues”

Hansjörg Peer (Municipality of Mutters), LA Markus Sint (Liste Fritz), Leonhard Steiger (Verein Gemeindeland in Gemeindehand), author Ulrich Stern (from left).(Bild: Johanna Birbaumer)

In the 1950s, a fifth of Tyrol's land area was transferred to agricultural communities - worth billions. "Die Täuschung Tirols" is the title of a new book that deals with the role of the agricultural authorities. Critics say that it acted according to sham law and abused its authority. 

Ulrich Stern has been meticulously investigating the topic of agricultural communities for decades. As a local councillor in Mieming, he has followed the developments from the very beginning. Now he has written a book entitled "Die Täuschung Tirols" ("The Deception of Tyrol"). In it, he not only describes the role of the agricultural authority, but also compares 4000 historical deposit figures to show the true ownership structure.

Book as a warning
"My book is a warning and an outcry," said the author together with fellow campaigners in Innsbruck: "75 years of illegality should be glossed over, concealed and forgotten."

For the first time, the book reveals a legal aspect "that documents three quarters of a century of abuse of authority", Stern explained. "Civil servants in the state administration have cloaked themselves in the cloak of legality on behalf of peasant politicians in order to exercise their office under a fictitious sham law."

"Stable still not mucked out"
The two Constitutional Court rulings on Mieders (2008) removed the cloak of legality. "Despite supreme court rulings, an Augean stable has been created under agricultural law that has still not been cleaned out."

The municipalities already have full access to agricultural land and assets. That suits the municipalities.

LHStv. Josef Geisler (ÖVP)

Municipalities need lawyers
It is not the case that the amendment to the Agriculture Act under Black-Green I (2014) has put an end to the matter for the municipalities. On the contrary: "If they want to get their rights, they have to fight the agricultural authority in court. This is time-consuming and expensive," reports Hansjörg Peer, Mayor of Mutters, from practical experience.

"And in the meantime, the proceeds continue to flow to the agricultural communities," adds Leonhard Steiger, one of Stern's fellow campaigners, who also run the "Agrarpapers Tirol" website.

"Only retransfer would be a clean solution" 
"Mutters, Häselgehr, Langkampfen, Zams: it's not about individual cases. The law is complicated, bureaucratic, in short: an imposition. A lawyer is needed for every decision, every decision is dragged before the Supreme Court," said LA Markus Sint (Liste Fritz). "The cleanest solution would be to transfer municipal property back to the municipalities by provincial law."

Agricultural officer speaks of theatrical thunder
"Theatrical thunder, nothing else," said Josef Geisler (ÖVP), head of agriculture. A reassignment had already been ruled out as unconstitutional in the 2008 Mieders ruling. "The municipalities already have full access to agricultural land and assets. That suits the municipalities."