Balaton or Concrete? Civilians Urge Construction Stop and Expropriation 🚫

Residents of the settlements along the shores of Lake Balaton and civilians connected to the lake are watching with growing concern the rapid development of shoreline areas. The disappearance of natural shore sections is not only an aesthetic loss but also poses a serious ecological risk to the lake.

Participants in the SOS Balaton initiative are now urging immediate action. They call on the government to suspend large-scale investments that threaten the remaining natural and near-natural shore sections. They also propose that the state purchase these areas, if necessary through expropriation with full compensation.

Researchers say development has already reached a critical level. In the past decade, many shore sections have been lost to dense construction that often ignores the character of the landscape. This process not only disrupts the lake’s ecological balance but also reduces its long-term appeal as a holiday destination.

The civilians also want the rehabilitation of damaged reed beds, river mouths and shoreline habitats to begin under the EU Nature Restoration Regulation. “When the municipal development plans were drawn up twenty or thirty years ago, we did not foresee such massive construction,” the initiators state, adding that the effects of climate change, such as longer dry periods, make protection even more urgent.

Preserving the remaining natural shores would benefit not only the wildlife of Balaton but also the future of the surrounding settlements. 🌊

Source: telex.hu