Munich (dpa/lby) – Success in the fight to preserve green spaces in the state capital: On Wednesday, the majority of the city council of Munich spoke out in favor of sealing no more green spaces. This was made possible primarily by the votes of the Greens and the CSU, as a city spokesman said. The ÖDP and the left also voted in favor.

The city council thus adopted the demands of the citizens’ initiative “Preserve green spaces”, which was promoted by the ÖDP and Parents4Future, among others. The state association for bird protection and the association for nature conservation were also among the supporters. The organizers had already collected 60,000 signatures and wanted to force a referendum in the spring.

The city council committee forestalled this and obliged the administration to do everything possible to stop sealing and preserving Munich’s green spaces and green spaces. Construction projects that have already started should be exempt from this. According to the spokesman, the city would first like to check whether this exception corresponds to the will of the citizens’ request.

ÖDP state chairman Tobias Ruff was pleased with the decision. It is now all the more important that the demands of the citizens’ initiative are enforced with all vehemence in practice. “If the city continues on the growth course that is destroying this city and making it less and less livable, we will start another citizens’ initiative,” said Ruff.

The initiators of the citizens’ initiative had argued that almost half of the city area in Munich was sealed. Parks and playgrounds should not fall victim to building projects.