The initiators of the Free Baltic Sea Schleswig-Holstein initiative, together with other organisations from the tourism, water sports, fishing and agricultural sectors, called on people to come to Gelting Bay on Saturday to send a signal against the state government's plans for a national park. According to the organisers, around 1000 windsurfers, SUPers, kiters, sailors and other water sports enthusiasts gathered in front of the Gelting and Wackerballig marinas. At the same time, numerous farmers positioned their tractors directly on the shore and formed a chain around 250 metres long.
Linus Heuer was there and describes how he experienced the rally: "The water sports enthusiasts had gathered in a smaller bay for safety reasons. Among them were around 50 windsurfers and just as many kiters and people on SUPs, as well as rowing boats. The bay was really colourful with all the colourful sails and kites," reports Linus. The atmosphere was very harmonious, considerate and relaxed. "Nobody behaved aggressively, because everyone had and has only one goal in common: to prevent the Baltic Sea National Park but still protect the Baltic Sea and its inhabitants better."
"This strong signal clearly shows how united the people on the Baltic Sea coast are in their rejection, from Flensburg to Fehmarn. The citizens have exposed the planned national park as a poorly planned political prestige project," write the organisers in a press release. There is neither a convincing scientific justification for the effectiveness of the planned measures nor a proper analysis of the expected negative consequences for the economy, tourism, culture and sport, they continue.
A national park would entail restrictions
Björn Brüggemann, the spokesperson for the initiative, demands: "It's time that some political players finally took the people on the coast seriously. The local people expect to be heard!" A national park would inevitably be accompanied by medium- and long-term restrictions and utilisation bans that would have a negative impact on the Baltic Sea region. "Instead of investing in a bureaucratic prestige project, investments should be made in genuine and effective environmental protection, together with the citizens instead of against the citizens with their justified and well-founded objections!" said Brüggemann.
Protect us from the national park bureaucracy monster!" (Heinrich Nissen, Tourismusverband Ferienland Ostsee)
Numerous speakers took to the microphone and used their 45-second speaking time to appeal to politicians. "With our event, we want to show the decision-makers in Kiel that the national park is not a suitable means of protecting the Baltic Sea," said Heinrich Nissen from the Ferienland Ostsee tourism association, according to the Flensburger Nachrichten newspaper. He called on the Minister President: "Dear Mr Günther, let's work together to make better use of the existing protection measures in the Baltic Sea and expand them where necessary. But: Protect us from the bureaucratic monster that is the national park!"
"No memorial for an environment minister"
Representatives from the CDU, FDP and SPD also took part in the event. "Instead of a national park with a blanket exclusion of use, we need a multi-layered set of instruments with concrete approaches for action," demanded Thomas Jepsen (CDU), member of the state parliament, according to the FN. Oliver Kumbartzky, Parliamentary Secretary of the FDP, said: "We don't need a political monument to an environment minister!" And Birte Pauls from the SPD emphasised: "Without the consent of the people who live here, the SPD has a clear no!"
In June, there had already been a similar action in the Fehmarn Sound also organised by the Initiative Freie Ostsee Schleswig-Holstein. Last Thursday, numerous water sports enthusiasts and Baltic Sea residents protested against the national park in front of the town hall of Fehmarn's island capital Burg during a visit by Schleswig-Holstein's Minister President Daniel Günther.
