Bernese citizens will vote on February 9 on a credit of 3.3 million francs for the construction of a transit area for foreign travelers Wileroltigen, near the Friborg municipality of Chitres. This object is not unanimous, the reception of itinerant communities always arousing tensions.
The Young SVP had launched a referendum against this credit of 3.3 million francs adopted last March by the Grand Council to plan and implement a transit area for foreign travelers. The project is also being fought by the municipality of Wileroltigen and its 360 inhabitants.
The location is located south of the Wileroltigen rest area, along the A1 motorway between Bern and Murten (FR). This site, which is one kilometer from the village of Wileroltigen, would offer 36 sites for caravans over an area of 8,500 m2. It would only be accessible by highway.
Security deposit and user fees
This transit area would simply be equipped, underline the cantonal authorities. Containers would house the sanitary facilities. A fence two meters high would surround the site. Owner of this land, the Confederation would make it available to the canton free of charge.
Travelers would post a deposit and pay user fees. A guard would ensure order on the site. A monitoring group would be set up. The municipality of Wileroltigen would be represented there and it could express its grievances. The operation of the site would be entrusted to the canton.
Avoid illegal camps
For the moment, the canton has no location for foreign nomads. The absence of such a space causes problems and tensions with residents and communes due to illegal camps. Such land occupations have taken place in recent years, especially in the Biel-Seeland region.
The Executive Council and the Grand Council believe that security and public order will be better ensured with a permanent parking area. For them, a permanent transit area would prevent foreign Traveler communities from stopping without authorization on private or public land.
According to the Bernese government, people with a mobile lifestyle are entitled to demand that a sufficient number of parking spaces be available. Swiss Travelers like the Yniches and Sinti already have several locations in the Canton of Bern.
Municipal autonomy
The referendum committee considers that the achievement costs are too high. He calculated that a site for a caravan cost 90,000 francs. The committee also fears that operating costs cannot be covered.
Opponents denounce a project that does not respect the will of the municipality of Wileroltigen and therefore flouts municipal autonomy. They believe that this indicates a lack of sensitivity towards the municipalities.
The opponents of this credit application are convinced that this landscaped area will not prevent illegal occupations because its capacity is considered insufficient. They believe that the travel communities should organize themselves and offer a price to the landowners for their stays.
(Nxp / ats)
– .
