Illicit drug trade - Wegner comments on Görlitzer Park lawsuit: "We're still working on it."
In the controversy surrounding Görlitzer Park in Berlin, Mayor Kai Wegner (CDU) of the city responded to the lawsuit filed by the district of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg against the Senate with a firm statement of his stance. "We, as the state of Berlin, are firmly set on restoring Görlitzer Park as a safe place to be," stated Wegner on Tuesday. "We support the construction of a fence to reduce crime and prevent nighttime altercations in the area."
"I'm optimistic that we'll be able to continue with the fence construction. The courts will soon make their decision, and we're still working on it in the meantime." It is the intention of the Senate to tackle issues like drug-related crimes and late-night confrontations in this manner.
The Green-led district, in an effort to prevent the proposed fence and the closing of the park in Kreuzberg during the evening hours, announced on Monday that they had filed a lawsuit against the Senate at the Administrative Court. The lawsuit aimed to cease and undo all such measures planned by the Senate from the CDU and SPD for the park. They highlighted the necessity of a speedy legal response, seeking an interim injunction from the court.
The Administrative Court had never acknowledged a similar lawsuit against the competencies of the Senate as the state government and a district in the past. The responsibility for managing parks and other green spaces falls to the districts by official decree. The Senate can take over this role under certain circumstances, but legal obligations must be adhered to. These circumstances include demonstrating a disruption of the city's overall interests.
The legal eligibility of the district to file a lawsuit against the Senate is also questionable, as they both represent the Berlin state and would effectively be suing themselves. The task of determining the suit's legitimacy and justifiability belongs to the Administrative Court.
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- Despite the legal challenge from Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, the Berlin Senate, led by Mayor Kai Wegner from the CDU, continues to advocate for the construction of a fence in Görlitzer Park to combat crime and nighttime altercations.
- The Berlin Senate, responsible for managing parks under certain circumstances, is awaiting the Administrative Court's decision on the lawsuit filed by Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg to halt their efforts in Görlitzer Park.
- Though the obligation to manage green spaces lies with districts by official decree, the Berlin Senate's involvement in Görlitzer Park contributes to addressing issues such as drug trafficking and crime within the Municipalities of Berlin.
- Kai Wegner's comments on the ongoing lawsuit reveal the Senate's determination to transform Görlitzer Park into a safer environment for Berlin's residents, regardless of the court's decision.
- The Administrative Court will assess the suitability and validity of the lawsuit, questioning the district's legal eligibility to file against the Senate, as they both represent different administrative levels within the Berlin state government.
- The long-standing controversy surrounding Görlitzer Park's illicit drug trade has brought attention to the tensions between the Senate and the district of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, shedding light on the complex interplay of various municipalities within the wider Berlin landscape.