New start in Klagenfurt

Politicians are banned from speaking at this demonstration

The citizens have had enough of city politics. At the demonstration on Friday, the motto is: A new start for Klagenfurt.(Bild: Rojsek-Wiedergut Uta)

The microphone at the "New Start for Klagenfurt" rally on Friday is for citizens only. City councillors are allowed to listen - but not to speak themselves.

Normally politicians talk about all sorts of things on all occasions, but today they are banned from speaking. Because most citizens in Klagenfurt are fed up with what is going on in city politics. At the "New start for Klagenfurt" demonstration, only the citizens are talking. It starts at 2 p.m. in front of the town hall, "we have a microphone where the citizens can say what they would like to see in a decent, fact-based city policy", says Bettina Pirker, initiator of the demonstration.

Deputy Mayors Ron Rabitsch (SP) and Alexander Kastner (Liste Scheider), VP Club Leader Julian Geier and Janos Juvan (Neos) are expected, knowing that they will not get a chance to speak.

Mayor invites to talks
"Mayor Christian Scheider is missing, he has invited us to talks," says Pirker. "For a whole week, many parties did everything they could to get the police to cancel the demonstration. But rallies like this are allowed."

There are hot drinks, musicians like Michael Erian play. "Culture is no longer taking place because of the financial crisis. Many clubs could get by with just a few euros in funding. There is no longer a dance club for pensioners, it was cut to the bone. The motto today is to listen. Especially for politicians."